Fallen Angels
by G27
Summary: Three teens meet their past when their academy is attacked in Ireland. Forcing them to confront their fears, move on and join the fight against evil.
1. Recent Past

Ireland Ninja Academy  
Recent Past  
  
Cam who resembles his father with his black hair and dark brown eyes was on his father's computer playing with the keyboard. He was writing to the Ninja Masters of all the other academies about having a meeting. Little did he know that the meet would never happen. He was nearly done when all of the sudden there were flashing lights as pop-ups showed that the Wind Nina academy was being ransacked. And it wasn't a false alarm. As his father came in to Ninja Ops his mouth formed a somewhat expected look. He knew of one person who could raise an assault that big. It was Lothor back from space and bringing wrath down upon the Ninja Schools starting with the academy that had thrown him in space to begin with.  
  
"Father what should we do?" Cam asked using his intercom to talk with his father.  
  
"Cam when I leave hit the red button it will send an alert out to the other academies to watch out in case they have not already been attacked."  
  
As the words were coming off of Sensei's tongue he knew he would regret asking. He had faith in his father though and pushed the red button. He could hear the email going out but something extra was going on and he cursed silently. His father was trying to protect him again. He nearly rolled his eyes. He looked around him and saw that the ground was sinking at a steady pace and Cam had to run to the stair and climbed the steps up to the room that kept the secret underground base safe.  
  
When he got there he found that flames were slowly eating up the doorway. He shivered as the smoke fumes started to billow in. He had to think fast. Then he saw a little canal of water. He tried to swim to another room but it was blocked. Tired, wet, and annoyed he walked up the steps that went into/ out of the canal. He knew he was trapped so he just had to go through the burning door if he ever wanted a chance to live.  
  
"It's like being in the circus." he muttered to nobody in particular.  
  
He gave himself a running start and flung himself through the flame-door. Narrowly escaping being crushed. His jaw dropped. There were flames, fighting and kelzaks everywhere. He didn't think that the fire was this bad. "Wrong again, Cameron," the voice in his head challenged.  
  
He fought some kelzaks as he searched in vain to find his father hoping he had gotten out all right. He coughed as he dodged fire trying to get to the side entrance and fresher air. He walked out the side door of the burning academy to find his father and Lothor in battle. Before he knew what was happening both enemies had thrown power at each other creating a powerful shock wave that blew Cam right back inside the room and slamming him into the wall. Just as he faded into unconsciousness he saw his father teleport to what he assumed was the underground base where he should be right now. He only half wished he had indeed listened to his father and as his body finally gave out to unconsciousness so did the ceiling that he was sitting under and the world went black. 


	2. Goddess of Everything Deceitful

Goddess of everything deceitful  
  
In the private computer room of Ninja Master Jesse Nilsson a young adult was busy hacking away at some new messages and waiting for the right one to come along so she could delete it. The girl was about 5'5 with almost black color hair and the darkest brown eyes you have ever seen. Which were currently narrowed in on her Sensei's mainframe. She was a gifted multi- tasker who was on a mission. A mission to save herself that is. If she didn't delete a message that the police were going to send she was going to be in big trouble and she wasn't sure how much longer Sensei would put up with her.  
  
So she had needed to go stealth to lurk around to his room full of computers and other sophisticated pieces of hardware that she would love to have gotten her hands on. For this special occasion she had decided on sporting a black turtleneck and black Capri pants. She had slithered out of her room all the way to the west wing where the room was.  
  
She sighed. Before coming to the academy she had lived in a foster home and had gotten into trouble regularly with a local gang that she thought of as her friends. Until they ditched her to move to the USA. Eventually life caught up to her and she was nearly killed by the rivals. Good thing two other teens had come to the girls rescue and at the same time saw some good in her. Nurturing their wounded 'dove' back to life. She was a fighter but she'd be better, more focused, if she got some actual training. Now seventeen she just started her junior year of high school a month ago and had been going/living at an academy since she was 13, the most lucky and unlucky number. Her name was Kaia Mackenzie.  
  
She looked at the clock on the screen and it said 12:51. Ever since she moved into the academy, her freshmen year, she had gotten used to living a more solid and educational life. Which to her sometimes sucked.a lot. Or in more lame words stating life, unless she was training, had gotten pretty dull and boring around here. Until she made her own fun. So right now she was looking up at the screen waiting for the incoming message to arrive. She waited patiently but eventually she got bored so she opened other files and such.  
  
Then a flashing light went off and it was blaring the color red. She quickly closed the files she opened as new ones popped up. One glance and she knew it wasn't mail about her. She didn't need to hide her concern because she just figured it was a false alarm. It showed pictures of what was left of the Wind Ninja Academy. She frowned as she said softly: "I never met this guy he must be somewhere else on this planet. A few more clicks and she had the enclosed database booting up while she also opened the message.  
  
TO: ALL NINJA MASTERS of the Secret Ninja Academies. There has been a breach at the Wind academy. STAY ALERT: he may or may not be coming your way. Send back up support and medical equipment if possible. Master Kanoi  
  
"Oh Goddess!" She said after she read it. " I have to bring this to Sensei." She clicked on the print icon and the paper was sucked in printing out the plea for help. She hid her tracks, signed off, and prepared to jet over the academy's fence and down to the middle of town to wake her friends up and alert them. She glided over to the door and smacked her head on a statue.  
  
"Goddess." She grumbled as she stuffed the email in her bag and opened the door cautiously. She peeked, saw no one, and ran. She could hear footsteps coming towards her and she ducked into the nearest doorway. Slowing down her breathing she made herself practically invisible to the man in blue who was patrolling this part of the academy.  
  
She waited impatiently for the footsteps to be farther away before she dashed across the hall to the attaching bridge that held the two wings together. Looking down she watched the guards who roamed the grounds and waited until a pattern could be found. Then she opened a window, tying a black cord to it and swinging down to the bottom. A full three stories high.  
  
From there she just used her ninja skills to run to Naomi's apartment complex.  
  
Naomi was a totally independent girl. She had her own penthouse apartment that Kaia would kill for! Gabe recently had been staying there for awhile as a roommate. She just hoped that he was still there so she wouldn't have to go all around looking for him. Not that he would even care he had that sort of act that totally bugged her. She turned to Naomi's street and found the door locked.  
  
"Figures I have to do everything the hard way!" She took out her lock pick set and opened up the door scanning the room for any surveillance or trip wires. There was just one camera and she could easily avoid it. And she did. Running to the elevators she pressed the up button and tapped her foot only pausing to get into it. Once she reached the top she walked over to Naomi's door and was glad that Naomi didn't have any neighbors. That meant Kaia could be as loud as she needed to be to wake Naomi up so that she could let her in. Without causing suspicion. She rapped her hand on the door three times as she called:  
  
Naomi! Naomi are you home I need to talk to you! It's really important." Kaia heard steps and then the lock as it was unlatched and opened. She bolted in.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Came a voice on the couch as the figure sat up. Leaning against the wall, while Naomi turned the light on, Kaia just folded her hands and shook her head.  
  
"What is going on Mac," Naomi asked while she sat down on the couch with Gabe and yawned.  
  
For an instant Kaia got a bad feeling like one that would tell you that you should keep your mouth shut. She quickly cleared her head.  
  
" I was in Sensei's computer room and this alert came on with these pictures and a message." Naomi's mouth dropped in real astonishment. Gabe wasn't surprised and laughed then said:  
  
"Didn't I tell you I would take care of it. You don't need to go lurking through his folders I'll just tell him my version and he would have believed me." Naomi looked from one to the other unsure of what was going on.  
  
"What are y'all talking about?" Neither spoke. "What did you do now Kaia. You remember what Sensei said. Do you want to go back to the foster home?" Kaia shook her head. Gabe walked over to her and lifted her chin so that she was forced to face him.  
  
"I don want to go back to the way things were." She replied soldierly.  
  
"Not only should you exhibit more pride than that there's no turning back now. Not when you are so close." He circled her like a hawk, slowly. Naomi made an effort to get up but one quick look from him stopped her. She managed though to warn him.  
  
"Don't do anything stupid." Was her only reply.  
  
"It doesn't matter now!" He yelled. "More importantly why did you come here at 1:30 in the morning!"  
  
Involuntarily Kaia cringed at his sarcastic voice and thought that maybe she shouldn't.but it was to late; she had to come forward.  
  
"I was hacking his database when a message came that said another academy was being attacked. I can't let him know that I hacked into his computer so I was thinking that maybe one of y'all could give it to him.  
  
"Naomi I think we need to escort Ms. Mackenzie back to the Ninja Academy and find Sensei. It could be really important. Do whatever you need to but be ready to leave in five minutes. I need sometime to talk alone with Mac." Naomi looked apologetically at Kaia who had put on her stone face to brace for the worst. Then left to get what she needed from her room. Gabriel was a student teacher at the academy and though he still felt some allegiance to his companions the protective feeling had only grown stronger. He stopped circling her and sat on the couch. With dark blond hair and piercing blue eyes it would be easy to think that the 6' teen was a sweetheart but that wasn't always the case. Truthfully he was a loner and someone who liked to be in charge but didn't know how to lead. It was apparent he had some aggression issues.  
  
"I called the foster home service. Kaia there is no more room for you anywhere they are filled past capacity", the fear was almost choking Kaia as he continued, " the orphanage to. The police called Sensei to tell him and he looked sad. You know he has never gone back on his promises.especially if the police are in on the promise. Kaia he'll probably tell you what's going to happen to you in the morning," he got up to put his hand on her shoulder but she didn't look at him. "No matter what I will always take care of you." Then Naomi came in the room and the three of them walked to the elevator while she locked her apartment up. Down the elevator went to the garage floor where they got into Naomi's car.  
  
"So you have two choices you can run now and we won't stop you or you can do the right thing and stay and we'll be at your backs." Naomi stated as they drove to the academy only 10 miles away.  
  
"I can't run out on y'all so I'll just have to face the consequences." Suddenly Kaia jumped out of the car, which came quickly to a halt.  
  
"What the hell are you doing trying to kill yourself."  
  
"We have to go back now."  
  
"What do you think we were doing?" Naomi quizzed.  
  
"No we have to go faster because someone is attacking our academy!" With that she ran with only a white light following her as she bounced around. Her friends raced after her and when they got to the academy they stared in horror. ____________________________________________________________________________ __________ 


	3. Shattered World

When the three teens had arrived on the scene it had looked just like the pictures that Kaia had seen. The fire was everywhere and it just seemed to be getting bigger without stopping.  
  
"What is going on here? Maybe Kaia was right we did need to be alarmed. Someone has to call the fire department." Naomi said to no one in particular. Gabe handed his cell phone to Kaia.  
  
"Be our guest." Even in the greatest of dangers he seemed to have a sarcastic edge to himself.  
  
"Typical." Kaia rolled her eyes and stayed a little away from the noise of the fire burning around them to contact the fire dept.  
  
"What are they doing here?" Gabriel asked as they saw kelzaks now appearing from everywhere.  
  
"They can only mean one thing. Lothor."  
  
"Someone has to go after Sensei." Kaia said coming back and handing Gabe his cell phone. The kelzaks started towards them. The three went into their defense stances.  
  
"If Lothor is here then he's after the something I'm guessing we're going to need to protect. We need to find whatever it is before he does." Was Naomi's reply.  
  
"Let's split up. When we get inside Naomi you try to find the "whatever it is." It'll be hidden so use your senses not your eyes. Kaia I need you to go save Sensei." He wasn't sure if it was a good idea." I'll cover you both and we'll meet in the library.  
  
"Right!" Was their replies. They waited for the kelzaks to attack first then they fought back with force clearing the way for them to run to the door. Naomi did a high kick, Gabe sweeped them off their feet and Kaia scissor-kicked the few in her way.  
  
Inside they only had moments to stall the door from opening before the kelzaks were they're trying to pry it open. Next Kaia dashed up the steps leading to the east wing while Naomi ran down the hall leading to the west.  
  
I don't believe this! Everyone was here and now they are gone. We are all that's left who are still able to fight. Her feet deftly were making their way to his computer chamber. She busted the door open with a kick and tore the room apart looking for the morphers. She emptied every desk drawer but didn't find them and ran back the way she came to meet up with Gabriel hoping Lothor didn't have the morphers already and that Kaia was having better luck. _________________________ As Kaia raced in a blur of white she prayed that Sensei be not killed.  
  
"If he laid a finger on him I am gonna."  
  
She didn't want to think negative it wouldn't help. Her extra sensitive hearing brought her to the confirmation that Lothor and Sensei were having a chat and Sensei wasn't winning. That only made her push herself harder. When she got to his door however the sight made her heart skip a beat.  
  
"Let him go now!" She yelled all ready to defend and get him out of there. Lothor just laughed as he held his prisoner's throat squeezing tighter. Excited by her fury looked eyes.  
  
"You must be one of his little girl scouts. How cute." Kaia touched the back of her ear to her communicator. "I need back up." Was all she said and she charged at Lothor starting with a high kick. Lothor blocked it and went to punch her but she ducked. Then launched a roundhouse kick at the hand that held Sensei. He dropped to the ground with an unnatural thump. Kaia then placed herself as a wall between him and Lothor. Lothor looked at her and shook his head.  
  
"You really think you can stop me?" He challenged. Kaia saw her friends come up.  
  
"Not alone." She replied ready to attack.  
  
"But you are alone."  
  
"Wanna bet." Came two voices behind him. The three ran after Lothor with newfound fury but he knew they were just trainees and he decided to save time and blast his power at each of them. One by one they were down. Lothor laughed as "He started to step towards them.  
  
"Pathetic. And now for the grand finale I think I will get rid of you all, starting with you." He pointed to Kaia.  
  
"Their deaths are 100 percent on you, hotshot." He aimed an orb at her as she tried to move away from him and get up to fight. She knew that they couldn't quit now it just couldn't be the end.  
  
"Kaia run! Get out of here and take Naomi and Gabe to my special place." Sensei said.  
  
Which made Lothor stop his assault long enough for Naomi and Gabe to get up and run to their sides. Naomi supported their Sensei while Gabe helped Kaia up but she shook him off.  
  
"I'm fine, get Sensei out of here. Bring him to our meeting place. I'll hold Lothor off." Gabe did as requested and they were out of there. Now she turned to Lothor who was staring at her.  
  
"What's the matter ninja got your tongue? Stop looking at me like that." Why was there a weird feeling coming off of Lothor. One she couldn't quite place. She flipped over Lothor, grabbing the energy orb and throwing it at him. He was smashed into the wall dazed and then she ran to the library.  
  
When she got there they had Sensei on the table so Naomi could assess the damage. Somehow they knew he wasn't going to last much longer. Suffering from a head wound, and several major cuts that hadn't stopped bleeding yet. Upon her entering the library Gabe and Naomi then started to push a whole bunch of bookshelves in front of the doorways.  
  
Walking up to Sensei she asked him in a whispery voice. Sensei why did Lothor look at me like that? She remembered how Lothor had stared in utter belief at her. Like he saw a ghost. She involuntarily shivered. The look on her face said she needed to hear the truth and she certainly was about to get a dose of it. She helped him sit up and he motioned for her to sit so grabbing a chair next to her she sat down and listened.  
  
"It's all coming back to me now." He closed his eyes for a moment and drew in some deep breath.  
  
"I should have known this day would come."  
  
Kaia leaned in closer.  
  
"What day?"  
  
"Many years ago Lothor was a student at and Academy much like this one. His name then had been Kiya. However he was discovered using dark ninja magic by his twin brother, Kanoi. Kiya denounced the ways of the academy, and took on a new name: Lothor. . Just before being banished into space by their Sensei. However that is not the end of the story. He was leaving behind a wife, Leanna, whom was pregnant."  
  
He stopped a moment to catch his breath and Kaia patiently waited. The sound of kelzaks trying to get in did not alarm either of them and Sensei refused to hurry through his story.  
  
"Lothor found a way to come back to earth long enough to find his wife. Leanna begged him to let her come with him. Then her water broke and Lothor risked his life to ask his brother and I to bring Leanna to the hospital."  
  
There was something in his eyes that at first Kaia couldn't recognize. Then it registered to her as pain, guilt, regret and defeat. She had to stop herself from putting a reassuring arm around him. So instead she said to him:  
  
"I'm sure that you did everything you could to help." Sensei shook his head.  
  
"No. Leanna died giving birth to a healthy baby girl. Before we had left the hospital we had to name her so I called Lothor and asked him what name... We were allowed to bring her home and stopped to show him his beautiful daughter. He tried to take her back so I said I'd bring her here to Ireland. However I didn't want her to grow up here for fear that Lothor would remember her and come to take his daughter back. So I sent her to a foster home."  
  
"Sensei I am so sorry that you had to do that. It must have been difficult but what does it have to do with me?" She still deemed her connection a mystery.  
  
"Mac I need your help! Get yourself over here right now!" Was the voice of an annoyed Gabe. She looked at him and Naomi struggling to hold the bookshelves which were the only thing keeping the Kelzaks and Lothor out of the Library.  
  
"Kaia I.there's one more thing I need to tell you. Whether you chose to tell your friends is up to you, He reached out and took her hand," the baby's name was Kaia Mackenzie." As if repulsed she brought her hand back. Several feelings showed on her face hurt, anger, loathing and disbelief.  
  
"Now go assist your friends. If anything happens there is an underwater cave-."  
  
Sensei's words were cut off as Gabe's commanding voice shouted at her.  
  
"Mac now would be good!"  
  
"Coming!" She replied and moved a step towards them.  
  
"Remember Kaia if you get into trouble just go to the underwater cave." Sensei repeated said to her retreating back. She raced over to them and put all her strength into helping them hold their lock up.  
  
Just then on the other side of the door Lothor had thrown the kelzaks away from the door muttering:  
  
"When you want something done right, why is it you always have to do it yourself?" Then threw a mega orb at the door throwing Gabriel, Kaia and Naomi out of the windows in the library and to the edge of the cliff the academy, now in ruins, had been sitting on. Realizing that their Sensei was still inside they staggered to their feet. The three teens weren't going to give up that easily and charged at him. However he just shook a finger at them and tisked.  
  
"You don't want to charge at me." Then with one hand made an orb big enough to destroy the little piece of the academy, that was left, in one shot. That stopped them dead in their tracks unsure of what to do.  
  
"You don't want to charge at me because in one shot your Sensei will be blown to pieces." Just for measure he aimed it at the partially intact library.  
  
Naomi paled and looked at Gabe who shook his head. They had to find a way to save him and that meant playing along with Lothor for a while anyway. Unfortunately Kaia wasn't about to bite. She started forward slowly to face Lothor. Lothor saw that Gabe had grabbed for her arm but she brushed him off.  
  
"Looks like there is a breach in command huh kiddo. Too bad." Then he looked at Kaia who only stared blankly back masking her true feelings.  
  
"So what do you think that you'll accomplish by coming after me? Do you even care about your dying Sensei?"  
  
That stopped her short. She cared about him but didn't think it would matter whether they listened or not. He might still end up dead. If he wasn't already dead. Plus she would be kicked out of his support so nothing mattered. She was on her own. She shook her head. Not in defeat as Lotho would expect but to clear her mind from thinking that the only person who felt like a father to her might be dead. Dead at the hands of her biological father!  
  
"I didn't take you for the kind who allowed their choices kill other people." He said smiling. Then two lights, one crimson and one navy, flashed and stopped by Lothors' side.  
  
"It's about time back up came. Do you know how many people he killed!" Naomi shook a finger at Lothor . Gabe looked at Kaia who both wore wary faces. However the two ranger clad people just laughed.  
  
"You think we care?" Crimson challenged.  
  
"If it wasn't for him we would never have found out who killed our parents." Navy added.  
  
"I don't believe this." Argued Gabriel frustrated beyond the brink of even his own sanity. Naomi's lip quivered slightly. "How could they do this to us!" They're rangers they're supposed to be on our side. She thought.  
  
"Who killed them?" Asked Kaia. The question shook the brothers up. Gabe watched her ask the brothers and smiled. She was stalling.  
  
"Why do you care?" Snickered the Navy one though his voice also held a tinge of pain.  
  
"What are ya dumb?" I asked you a relatively straightforward question. Who- killed-your-parents? Her arrogance took over her as she repeated her question.  
  
"A Ninja Master at the Wind academy."  
  
"Really." One of her eyebrows popped up in the 'yeah right' look that to her pleasure offended the boys. Inside her head, it was full of turmoil. That was the same academy Master Kanoi was from; the person who had helped her Sensei rescue her from her dangerous father. However whatever road the conversation was taking was cut off by Lothor's authoritative voice.  
  
"Enough. I thought it over and I'll make a deal with ye. If the three of you come with Crimson and Navy to be held as our prisoners I won't kill your Sensei. Who is very much alive and well right now." The three cringed. "If you think I am lying then watch this", and a screen was magically produced with live footage of him alive and well. Naomi hung her head in defeat and Gabe's eyes showed fury but Kaia refused to bend to his will. Seeing that Lothor revised his plan in his head. He figured the male was the leader and the quiet girl was a follower but he didn't understand his daughter.  
  
"No." Kaia said loudly. "Don't let him cloud your minds."  
  
"Kaia we have to. We don't have a choice." Gabe reminded her and that crushed her feelings that her friends would be supportive.  
  
"Smart lad. " Lothor replied with understanding that the male's speech signified their acceptance to his terms.  
  
Kaia in split second fury ran after Lothor at full speed dodging blue and crimson. Lothor slightly intrigued by her rash actions pointed to her friends who had decided at the last minute to act with her and Crimson and Navy nodded. Then with his other hand he stopped her in mid stride locking her hands by her sides. She struggled fiercely to get free.  
  
"Let me go! She shouted. Naomi, Gabe will either of you tell this guy he's messing with the wrong girl?" She asked. When she didn't get an answer she struggled to turn around. What she saw didn't make her thrilled. In fact it down right scared her. Naomi and Gabe were gagged and had their hands bound behind their backs. They struggled desperately to no avail.  
  
"Sorry, your friends are a little busy but I am here. So why don't you talk to me." She spat in his face causing him to punch her in the stomach. She tried to double over, the pain was so great, but in this energy field she was completely immobile.  
  
"Why don't you let them go, you coward!" Frantically trying to avoid what she feared would happen to them.  
  
"I have big plans for you and your friends. The three of you will be split up. The Thunders will have their revenge and your Sensei will live with the guilt that the only three kids to survive my attack are now our prisoners." He laughed causing the three to shudder.  
  
"However whether you all live reflects on the behavior of the others so be good scouts."  
  
Crimson walked over to Lothor and handed Gabe over to him. Then used a cord to tie Kaia's wrists together until she grimaced with pain over how tight it was. If he hadn't been wearing his helmet she would have seen him smile at her reactions. Then he place a wet, twisted, rag into her mouth nearly choking her and tied it tight around her head. The three's screams of rage were pleasantly muffled by their gags and all three villains were happy that they didn't have to hear anymore of their garbage.  
  
"Navy why don't you escort the girl and the boy over there to my place. I'll be right up I just need to talk to this one." Navy grabbed both of Naomi and Gabriel's bound wrists and threw them through the swirling portal. Crimson pushed Kaia onto her knees as she struggled and painfully held her there while Lothor spoke.  
  
"Y'know had their been one leader instead of three you might have stopped me. But no matter. I could send you to be with your friends.but since you seem to be the one that holds them together I have a different plan."  
  
She rolled her eyes since it was the only thing she could do. I wonder if he really was just unsure bout how to deal with his daughter. Then after gazing into her hate lighted eyes began to talk again.  
  
"You obviously lack obedient training. Something I am too busy to work with you on. However Crimson and Navy have graciously accepted to do that task for me. Pretty soon you will stop fighting me and join me for your own benefit. Not to mention your friends'."  
  
She shook her head there was no way they could make her listen to them. There was no way he'd make her dumb enough to want to help him.  
  
"I look forward to seeing the new you, Kaia. The rightful one." The sound of her precious name on his tongue made her sick. She muffled into her gag some choice words that would have shocked her Sensei. He winked to the boy and went off back to his palace disappearing in moments.  
  
Crimson took her bound wrists and tugged hard in the direction towards the portal. Kaia tried to kick him but he tripped her making her fall flat on her back as he then brought his thunder staff to the base of her throat threatening to open her now exposed skin.  
  
"Lothor was right you need to learn how to listen to your betters." He helped her up while still holding the weapon at her throat. Her faced flushed with what he guessed as embarrassment or fury. Probably both. Some more words were muffled as she responded to his crack about 'her betters'. That made him chuckle.  
  
"I guess you want me to kill your Sensei," he stated. Sighing he found his Crimson Blaster and aimed it at the figure she hadn't noticed hobbling gracefully over to the two. She gasped and renewed her struggles to save Sensei. She kicked at him making him falter. He looked like he wanted to kill her and she didn't care. In fact she wished she could have told him that. She figured her and her friends were dead-meat anyway.  
  
That was it. Crimson's patience had finally worn off. She fought him as best she could. She was able to give him a kick in the head and he went side ways off balance for the moment. In retaliation he ran at her, she turned to give him a good chase, kicking her in the stomach. She fell on her back and felt a sharp pain. He wrestled with her and when he won, surprise, held her down long enough to straddle her and fished in his backpack for some more rope.  
  
"You couldn't leave well enough alone now could ya?" He bound her feet together making sure he tied the knot tightly. She groaned this guy really was an airhead. Then he got off of her and picked her up to put her on his shoulders.  
  
Something along the lines of 'you are kidding me' was once again muffled. Crimson was glad he could only here her muffling.  
  
Then he walked over to the portal and in they went back to his place. ________________________________________________________________________ 


	4. Push and shove

When they had gotten to the other side of the portal she found herself in a city, one she couldn't recognize. In this place, wherever it was, it was early morning. There was a car about five yards away from them.  
  
'Maybe I could hot-wire the car when he's not looking and drive away.' She thought desperately. However, Crimson just took a key out of the red bag he had and unlocked the car door.  
  
'Damn, I guess I will have to think of something else. He can't honestly expect me to be tied hand and foot in daylight. That'd cause to much suspicion.' She started thinking but her thoughts were interrupted by Crimson. He had walked over to her and said:  
  
"I'm gonna untie your feet but that's it. Okay." With her nod of consent her began to free her legs.  
  
"Also I have to power down so I need to blind fold you." He brought out a black blindfold and didn't, this time, allow for any consent from her. She allowed him to blind her and he roughly helped her up. For a minute she was scared of trusting him. Knowing that a false move would kill her friends she decided to just be brave and get it over with. Reluctantly he led her to the car, opened the door and helped her inside. He shut her door and with a glance around powered down. Her senses were still dull so she hadn't realized he had jumped in the car. Finally, starting the ignition he made his way across town. She heard no other cars fly by and within twenty-five minutes he was opening her door and helping her to the elevator.  
  
She guessed the apartment was on the fifth floor because she had heard five beeps. Mentally storing the information for use in the future. She was shoved out of the elevator and dragged a yard or so as she heard a key open a lock.  
  
"Hey bro." A voice said to her captor.  
  
"Hey." Was the only reply as he deftly guided her to a back room, shoved her in and she fell into a chair. Quickly tying her hands and feet to the chair.  
  
"Be a good girl and stay put." He left locking the door behind them.  
  
Crimson walked into the living room where his brother sat flipping the channels.  
  
"There's absolutely nothing on unless you count "Romeo and Juliet" as a good movie." He pouted. Crimson just shook his head and slouched further into the bright chair he was in as if he was in thought.  
  
"You know they took all the shows slightly worth watching. "BlackSash," and "Dark Angel".  
  
"Bro. the only reason why you watched them was because the women were hot!" The other guy spat back.  
  
They sat there for a few minutes bored out of their brains before Navy said something to the other.  
  
"So.what do you think Lothor wants with her anyway?"  
  
"I don't know and why should I care! It's not our problem." He yawned slightly and for the first time his brother saw just how tired he was.  
  
"I'm going to bed. Call me if there's a problem." Crimson replied.  
  
By problem he meant her. The aggressive and quick-witted girl they had taken prisoner. For Lothor, their friend, who will help them get their revenge. She wasn't part of their big plan. So why was he interested in her academy more than 800 miles away! Of course there is that ' when are we gonna have our turn at revenge' but that thought, annoying as it was, was just filed away for a later date. Navy decided to just go to sleep he had nothing better to do. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
At least 3 days had passed since Kaia had gotten captured but to her it had felt like an eternity. The rope binding her to the chair was cutting into her skin. Not to mention the piece of technology, he had just come in to put on her, felt like a 3/4 inch piece of metal with buttons on it, was starting to rub her right hand raw whenever she tried to move it. She had more than enough time to digest the information her Sensei had given her. She shivered at the thought. She wondered if he was okay or if he never. She tried to think about anything but that. She thought about her childhood. When she had wanted to know about her father. Now that she knew she felt like she didn't want to know. It was a difficult concept to accept.  
  
"Wow. And to think I wanted to know what he was like." She sighed," Oh well maybe I was better off growing up in a non villainous environment." She chuckled to herself bitterly. "I wonder whether it's day or night?  
  
From far away she could hear Crimson and Navy talking to each other. She strained her ears to listen in on their conversation. But she heard only distant bickering and she grew tired of it. 'Do they ever agree on anything.' However she did hear the name Blue Bay Harbor. Then there was a door slam and all was silent. Footfalls were heard faintly coming toward her. She tensed as a key was placed in her door and someone walked into the room. Finally, the door was relocked and she heard a sigh. The voice hadn't registerred, in her brain, as Crimson so she asumed it was his brother.  
  
"I'm guessing you're wonder-boy number two; the Navy Ranger?" The last part she had spat out bitterly, recollecting that the ranger before her was evil.  
  
"You're right. I thought maybe you were hungry."  
  
"NO." Another sigh could be heard only it was more from frustration this time.  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
"You're right. With this blind fold you are totally screwing up my senses. I am the girl who never sleeps but this is wack." Her voice spoke of agitation and distress.  
  
"We need to take certain precautions is all. I'm sure you can understand that." He moved closer to her slightly.  
  
"Where are my friends." It wasn't questionable her voice held demand.  
  
"Crimson is checking up on them at my discretion." He moved slightly closer.  
  
"What am I supposed to say thank you?" Was her reply  
  
"That wouldn't be unquestionable, but I'll forgive you for not being that type." There was silence for a moment as each pondered over their next move. Then, as if in ramdom thought, spoke next.  
  
"What, do you have contact with Lothor at all times or something. Oh come on, boy, get a life. Can't you do anything without him."  
  
"If you're trying to push my buttons it isn't gonna happen. We need to hold our connections for now until we get what we want." Now only a foot away.  
  
Two feet shot out at Blake and before he could react he was knocked off his feet. Kaia broke the rope binding her wrists, pulling them free and tore off the blindfold just in time to see him morph.  
  
"Give me your best shot!" She held her defensive move. Navy just shook his head and smiled.  
  
"Bring it on Cheerbear." He replied. Aiming a high kick at her, which she blocked.  
  
"Oh no you didn't!" Was her first reply, the second one was a blow that landed right at his jaw. In the fighting that resumed they tore the room apart. Jumping onto the bed and over chairs they battled matching each other with wit and skill. In the end he was knocked senseless his true form coming into view. However she didn't waste time seeing his face rather she unlocked the door and ran out of the room with his teleporter to teleport herself to Lothor's ship.  
  
"Sorry wonder boy I have made plans of my own." She opened the front door to see the elevator's light flashing. Someone was coming up. She slammed the door shut and locked it tight.  
  
"Great just great." Was all she said as she tried to configure the coordinates to teleport herself there.  
  
After thirty seconds she just started pushing random buttons. Finally as the handle started to turn she pushed the right button disappearing up into space. 


	5. free to Tumble

The ship was bigger than she expected and that gave her no comfort. The shadows were over welming and the place was just dismal. A whisper would sound like a scream in the quiet place. As she continued to walk it dawned on her that maybe their were no kelzaks because her father was attacking other places.  
  
"Where is everyone?"  
  
Just then as she heard voices coming into range she hid behind a statue. Slowing her breathing she stuck to the wall like glue. She hadn't noticed that the Navy morpher disappeared out of her hand.  
  
"So Marah should we go to Aero today with Uncle's credit card or go to Claire's for accessories and make up. After all your set is getting so last year."  
  
"It is not. It looks fine.  
  
"Does not. Now what did I tell you about talking." Kapri put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Don't" Marah slouched her shoulders and just followed Kapri down the hall.  
  
Kaia let out a breath. Then sprinted across the hall and hacked open the locked door going down the hall. It felt colder and dark. She walked deeper down the hall, shivering slightly. She felt like she was blind again and couldn't see anything, but this time her eyes could adjust easily and within a minute her cat-like eyesight was back. Cautiously making her way, she decided two things: kill the bastard who near-killed her mentor and find the cove he was talking about.  
  
"Maybe at the cove their will be the answers I obv-  
  
"That was a very clever stunt you pulled there." A voice, almost as if by magic, started talking to her.  
  
"Crimson!" She replied angrily and then realized the band was still on her. They had been tracking her all along. Trying to calm herself down in three seconds she walked quicker running from his voice.  
  
"I'm sure by now you have realized your mistakes. We were able to track you with your stolen piece of tech." Dawning on her she searched pockets and found it gone. She stuck out her chin.  
  
"I didn't need it anyway!" She shot back.  
  
"But don't worry your friends will pay the price." His voice remained passive and yet aggressive.  
  
Sucking in a short breath she stopped short. For the second time in a week she was going to lose someone special, or someones for that matter.  
  
"Let me guess and now you expect me to just give up?" She replied her anger masking her sadness. As she opened another door that reminded her of a glass house only it was made of see through plastic. She was walking through it to the door on the other side  
  
"That's the plan."  
  
"How do I know that my friends aren't already dead?" Oh Goddess please don't let them die too.  
  
"You don't. You're just going to have to trust me." He said in a mocking tone.  
  
"Trust? That might be a prob-"  
  
A hiss was heard and she jumped totally unprepared for it. She couldn't see the air pumping in but she could sense it. Trying not to panic she raced back the way she had come putting her hand on the door and turning it. It didn't open. Heart racing she yelled into the manical on her wrist:  
  
"What the hell is going on?"  
  
"You're locked in." Steel doors will come down and then the air we pump in will knock you unconscious." As he was explaining the plan it was taking action; the doors were coming down and she backed away slowly towards the center.  
  
____________________________________________ Over in the Command room Crimson and Navy were watching her. They watched her until she stood in the center and Navy pushed a green button. A cage came down, trapping her.  
  
Frustrated as all hell Kaia didn't know what to do. Made with heavy metal the bars, no matter how hard she tried to pry them apart, wouldn't come loose. She was on the verge of crying as she struggled to fight fate. The gas took her first and within ten seconds she had fallen to the floor.  
  
Once the air had been cleaned navy and Crimson came into the "glass house" and after crimson unlocked her cell navy took her in his arms and brought her down the halls and all the way, eight minutes later, to the command center. There he placed her in the box where her sleeping friends were. Putting in the code he locked it. Water could seep in but they could not get out.  
  
"Where shall we drop them?" Navy questioned as he rolled them away while his brother was in the cockpit of his megazord ready to pick them up.  
  
"Let's let them die at the bottom of the sea where their school used to be," Lothor laughed, "it'll be like a going away present."  
  
Hooking the cables snug Navy waved to crimson and he brought the crate up into the air. Using his megazord he dropped them and they drifted down their weight making thm fall to the bottom in seconds.  
  
"Good riddance.he's just sentenced his daughter to death. What a dolt, If my kid was screwed up I would have helped straighten it out. Never have given up for a second."  
  
The human side of Crimson had come out. But for how long? ________________________________________________ 


	6. Part six,

Looming under the Ocean are sharks, fish and other sea creatures. The deeper you got the more creepy the beings might become. However it can always get worse because most often you see these creatures on television, not right next to you. Unless you're a deep sea diver. Either way it's not what most would like to see when they wake up after a nap.  
  
Kaia was the first to wake up. The water was up to her ankles. As she shook her friends she noticed the beautiful and deadly sight of a shark swim by them. Instinctively she ducked.  
  
"Naomi, Gabe wake up! We have an emergency major!" The first word out of his mouth was a curse.  
  
"Shit. How the hell did we get here?"  
  
"We were transported and now we're at the bottom of a body of water."  
  
Gabe looked at her, she just put her hands up. They were thrown to the side by something huge. Pushing their prison a hundred feet across the ocean.  
  
"Don't kill the messenger, I'm just guessin'." She said putting her hands up defensively.  
  
She looked at her wrist and realized the manacle had been cut off. 'Thank goddess. At least that's one less thing to worry about.' They were tossed again and again. It was ten minutes before they were finally able to stand up. In the mean time neither felt like talking.  
  
"So what would you rather die of-"  
  
"That's kind of a dismal thought don't you think?" She accentuated her thought by runnin her hands around the bases of their cell. Shooting him a dirty look.  
  
"Come on! I'm being serious." He looked at her with his crystal eyes and continued.  
  
Would you die fighting for what you-  
  
"Hope is for losers."  
  
"Okay then how about for love."  
  
"A game."  
  
"Money."  
  
"A needless necessity."  
  
"What an oxymoron don't-  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Okay Ice Goddess, what would you die for?" He waited patiently as she thought for long moments. Trying to decide on what would be worth it all.  
  
"Okay so obv. you wouldn't die for friends...  
  
"No offense it's just that none of us have ever been that close besides it's not like we're that easy to kill." She quickly tried to cover up.  
  
"So.about your answer. Cuz if it was me I'd die for being able to see the next day."  
  
Kaia blinked and Gabe chuckled.  
  
"Okay, no humor under the sea. How about your family? Wouldn't you die to know what happened to them? I mean you never new that's gotta-  
  
"The truth hurts-sometimes things are better left buried." She shot back no mirth but dark ice pools in her eyes. He frowned.  
  
"Is there something you'd like to share with the class because you're a little touchy about it?.You've never been before."  
  
She looked the other way as he shifted the water making a slight noise as he moved to feel more comfortable.  
  
Gabe at that point reached down to touch Naomi and she felt like ice. He frowned, 'this is not good.' Then checked her pulse to find it weak.  
  
"Those damn idiots near-killed Naomi." He yelled. Kaia offered to help him prop her up as the water added up to her thigh. They were running out of air and running out of time. Then an underwater tornado picked them up as they could feel themselves drop and spin.  
  
As they struggled to stand back up Gabe said:  
  
"What'd we fall into a cave like in that show Adventure Inc.?"  
  
"Life isn't the same as a movie!" Kaia retorted.  
  
"T.V. show." He corrected.  
  
Sarcastically retorting an answer.  
  
"Whatever. Fall into the cave. Ha. Where on earth would you find an underwater cave? It'd have to be.Oh my goddess. We found it." She started babbling, causing Gabe to glance her way in pure perplexity.  
  
"Take a breath," he retorted and then calmly said," now tell me what we found."  
  
"When we were in the library, getting ambushed, I talked to sensei and he said if we got into trouble we should go to the underwater cave.  
  
"Neat-o." Gabe's voice droned. "How do you know it's the one." Kaia was kicking at their prison and to her pleasure found the lock. She repeatedly kicked at the lock as she said:  
  
"I was half conscious when I heard them say lets drop them in the water right in back of their school."  
  
Gabe touched her shoulder wondering why she was so calm.  
  
"How do you know that when you kick the door open we won't still be too far underwater. We could drown." She kicked again before answering.  
  
"What's the matter I thought you wanted to die to see tomorrow. Besides I don't. It's just intuition."  
  
"Great."  
  
Gabe held Naomi in his arms ready to swim to the surface as Kaia gave one huge kick that blasted the door open. From the pressure, water was sucked in fast knocking them over and they had to wait until the pressure had been leveled. Holding their breaths they swam out of the cage and up to the air only nine feet away.  
  
When they broke the surface they inhaled deeply wading into the cave. Putting Naomi down, making sure her vital signs were okay. She was still living, thankfully but still unconscious.  
  
The cave was cold and not inviting. You could hear water dripping from the cones high above the teens' heads. Squinting in the dark Gabe called for her.  
  
"Kaia where are you? Are you here?" Waiting patiently for a reply he sat on the rock next to Naomi and sighed.  
  
"I'm here, don' be a scaredy cat!" A voice hissed cutting through the thick air.  
  
"I'm going to see if there's a light switch, fake wall or a door.something. You just stay there." She continued to command as she walked through the dark her eyes already adjusted to the dimness that surrounded her. _____________________________  
  
Gabe just sat there with his hands over his face. 'This is a complete mess!' he thought. 'I never thought I'd see the day when our academy was gone by the likes of a villain we all had assumed dead or worse. Now we almost died because of him. All I wanted in life was to be able to a co- owner. Looks like I almost missed my chance.' _______________________________________________________  
  
Kaia looked at the hunk of metal in front of her and sighed. She had to find a way in. She just had to. There has got to be a way. Pressing on a panel she heard a click as it slid open.  
  
"YES!" She cried as she ran into the place filled with tech gear from here to Miami. She heard Gabe walking up behind her.  
  
"I guess you were right, huh. I mean about this cave."  
  
Smiling a slight smile for the first time in days she shook her head. Looking around she found a table.  
  
"Hey genious boy put Naomi over here." She pointed to it as she walked over to what could only be described as the mother of all computers. She put her hand out to touch a keypad when a VR popped up.  
  
"Who are you?" It asked.  
  
"I could ask you the same question." Kaia put her hands on her hips as Gabe came over and said:  
  
"My name's Gabriel Patterson, this is Kaia Mackenzie and our friend over there is Naomi Grant. Do you have a medpac? She really needs someone's help."  
  
" I recognise your names from my database. How did the three of you end up togeher-"  
  
"Long story-short, Lothor attacked and now everyone is gone except us and we need to get into Sensei's-" Kaia was cut off by the voice.  
  
"No. I can't help you my only hook up is for down here- not for up their."  
  
"So are you telling me that all the vital info we might need went caboom with the school? No I don't believe it. I'll find a way. Gotta set of VR headsets I can borrow?" The VR pointed to a cabinet and Kaia raced to get to work. Then it looked at Naomi.  
  
"Now Gabe, let's see if my medical equipment can assist your friend. 


	7. Naomi's Secret

It was Wednesday June 18 and the third to last day of school. However, two best friends, Dustin and Naomi, were already on vacation weeks ago. At least in their heads.  
  
The two had each bought high tech spy equipment for them and their friends so that they could talk to each other in class. Naomi was on the computer in Math class and Dustin was suffering in English. The two classes both held thirty bored eighth graders who couldn't wait for the last bell to ring before lunch.  
  
Chatroom WHENTS  
  
Naomi: "No way W. B! The Omega megazord was totally better than the one for Mighty Morphin."  
  
W. B.: "Whatever dude. Ok let's say you were a ranger which one would you be?"  
  
Naomi: "I'd want to be pink like a rose. W. B, you'd totally be wicked as a yellow ranger."  
  
W. B: Y'think? I guess that'd be kewl; the first guy yellow ranger!"  
  
Naomi: "LOL. You'd set a world record."  
  
W. B: "Hey a minute left. Okay here's the 1000-dollar bonus question. Who would I think Tori, Henrie, Eli and Shane be?"  
  
Naomi: "W. B that's soo easy you couldn't pick a harder question? Tori could end up blue, like the water she loves: Henrie would green; Eli black as night for that's the time he likes best and Shane would be a red ranger cuz he seems like Jason to me.  
  
Shane and Tori now entering chatroom  
  
Tori: "Okay tell me y'all aren't seriously thinking about us as legends again."  
  
Shane: "Speak 4 yourself Tor I'd like being a superhero!  
  
Tori: "Shane get a life. See you @ lunch bringing Eli with me. Tori out."  
  
Shane: "Yeah me too I got Henrie here and he says hello."  
  
Tori: "Don't be late!  
  
~Tori has left the chatroom~  
  
Shane: "Woah I gotta go-Mrs. H is handing out the quizzes.  
  
Naomi: " Adios Shane y Buena suerte!"  
  
Shane: "Dude what does that mean?"  
  
W. B.: "Dunno."  
  
Naomi: "(Shakes head) G'bye and good luck Shane.  
  
~ Shane has left the chatroom~  
  
Naomi: "W. B. u really need a refresher course. Don't you have that test on Wednesday?"  
  
W. B. "Namz relax. I got all of tonight and Thursday.  
  
Naomi: ".or all 25 min bus ride and one min cram before the class. LOL."  
  
W. B.: "Oh I'm hurt. You don't take me seriously."  
  
Naomi: "Bell's gonna ring c ya @ lunch."  
  
~Naomi has left the chatroom~  
  
Naomi logged out and looked around the room. It was the seventh inning stretch-their last three days of school before freedom. She saw that her teacher was chatting with another English teacher whom was being impressed by the new online catalogue system. She didn't have any friends in this class; that's why she and Dustin came up with a way for everyone to talk no matter where they were. The noise around her was starting to aggravate her head. Just as she was about to take out her book to start her summer reading assignment the bell rang.  
  
"YES!" A cheer rang through the air as all the kids excitedly threw their bags on their shoulders, grabbed there coats and either walked to their next class or went to lunch. As Naomi hurried out the door into the throng of people she scanned for her friends. She walked down the long corridor down the stairs. Then she took a sharp left, following her classmates haphazardly down to lunch.  
  
Sitting at the table, she saw was the gang. I guess you could call them a 'Scooby gang' but only in reference to the fact that they were your stereotypical bunch of friends.  
  
You have the 'comic book geek', the 'reliable one', the 'risk taker , the 'loner, the 'techie and the 'fantasist". "Hey Namz, que pasa mi hermana?" Shane grinned as the others waved her over. She sat down next to Dustin and brought out her lunch. Looking at her friends she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sadness and a feeling she had done this again. She shook it off and smiled.  
  
"So I'm guessing everything went great with your test?"  
  
"Better than okay! I aced it I am soo sure."  
  
The others laughed although Shane didn't think it was funny and started to argue with everyone else.  
  
"So who's up for a movie at my house on Friday?" Dustin questioned.  
  
"Dude, I am so there." Exclaimed Shane.  
  
"Me too." Was Tori.  
  
"Definitely." The others exclaimed and so they planned to meet at Dustin's house the next day.  
  
_____________________________________________________ "Let's do it." Naomi said.  
  
Perplexed Gabe ran over and checked her vitals as Kaia glanced over from her work to look at their friend.  
  
"Do you think she's dreaming?" he asked.  
  
"Nah," Kaia shook her head," I think it's more than that. There's something going on in her head. Maybe an old memory."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Well she did move here freshmen year right? I mean I know I wasn't around but you were. Maybe she's dreaming about her old mates."  
  
With that said Kaia went back to her tedious work of rerouting cables and putting servers together. Leaning over Naomi, Gabe whispered in her ear.  
  
"Come back to us, Naomi. We need you.I need you." _____________________________________________________________  
  
"HUH WHO ARE YOU? COME BACK? WHERE?" She screamed.six pairs of hands tried to wake her up desperately as she heard others calling out to her.  
  
"Naomi, please wake up?" Her eyes bolted open.  
  
"What happened." She darted with her eyes looking at her friends who showed support.  
  
"Dude, you fell asleep watching the movie."  
  
She looked questioningly at her friends. She was awake and yet things just didn't make sense.  
  
"I thought I was somewhere else-"  
  
"Hey book worm, lay off the fantasies will you." "Cool it Shane." Everyone laughed as they got up to go home from Dustin's house. Tori stopped in front of Naomi.  
  
"You still coming to my house right? To tell me your big secret and sleep over."  
  
Grinning, trying to hold back the tears of unknown frustration, Namz nodded enthusiastically."  
  
They both said their good-byes and went off to Tori's house. They only had to walk about a block before they came to a tall yellow house that looked Victorian.  
  
After dinner they walked outside onto the porch. Looking at the stars they just relaxed. Then Tori looked at Naomi.  
  
"Naomi what's going on with you? I mean you haven't been yourself lately."  
  
"My parents told me I am moving. I don't want to leave even if it is for Ireland!" Through her tears she ran but Tori instinctively cut her off. Holding onto her shoulders Tori looked Naomi in the eyes.  
  
"Naomi wherever you are we'll always be your friends. Now let's go get the team. We have to tell them. ________________________________________________  
  
"How long is it going to take for you to fix this stuff. It's been a week and a half already." Gabe was getting bored with waiting.  
  
"Without any supplies another six hours at least. So BACK OFF!" Kaia took a breath and looked at him sweetly, " why don't you make yourself useful and go check on Naomi."  
  
Swallowing every sarcastic thought her had he did as she bid willingly. ____________________________________________________________ In their secret clubhouse the six had met with enthusiasm. Well most some were a bit grouchy, it being almost midnight. Their clubhouse was neatly furnished with all their childhood memories. From Beetleborgs to VR Troopers. Looking around the six found themselves in awe of what their seven year-old mind had created. Long forgotten by four of the six who were eager to grow and adapt to the ways of an adult to be. But not totally forgotten as childhood should be dear and held on until your last breath.  
  
Tori cleared her throat.  
  
"Let's beat around the bush and pretend-" She started.  
  
"I am moving to the Emerald Isle." Came a voice. All eyes looked at their friend since they were in preschool. They shook their heads.  
  
"This can't happen-"  
  
"Please Henrie don't make this any harder than it is. All of you I need you to do that. I'll be gone in a few hours." She tried not to cry as she knew the others were fighting the same instincts.  
  
Shane spoke next.  
  
"Then there's something we'll have to do won't we." He walked to their round table in the middle of the fort the others joining him as they made it to each of their spots.  
  
"Power up." Was said. Shane put his hand over the inner most circle.  
  
"Don't let anybody change who you are." Henrie said as he put his hand on Shanes'  
  
"Now who am I supposed to bug? If you don't write I'll find you and." Eli smiled and just let the sentence go at that.  
  
"Don't forget me, please." Was all she said as her hand raised and placed on top of the pile.  
  
"Dude, now who am I supposed to talk about all my favorite Comics and such with? You'll be getting a lot of mail." Everyone understood Dustin's plea.  
  
"Trust me no matter what you will not be forgotten I will make sure of that. Life's a story; in a few chapters we will meet again."  
  
"I hope we do." She checked her watch it was time to go.  
  
"I'm sorry." Was all she said.  
  
"On the count of three. One. Two. Three." "Friends Forever!" _____________________________________________________ "Friends forever, we'll always stay together!" She shouted aloud her eyes waking up to her true surroundings. She started to freak out.  
  
"Where are they? What am I doing here?"  
  
"Hello, it's me Kaia and Gabe." She walked over with a scanner. It was again time to check her vitals.  
  
"Good to have you back Naomi." Replied Gabe hugging her tightly.  
  
"So bring me up to date. Tell me what happened I don't remember."  
  
So they told her everything; the good, the bad, and the ugly things that had happened. Summing up to just now and her hallucinations. Which she replied to as just dreams.  
  
"So how long have I been out?" She saw Kaia packing up tools and putting them away. Finally taking a look around the cavern she considered it breathtaking in a bright sort of way.  
  
"Officially seven days and then you were in a deep sleep for three." Continuing to put tidbits away she yelled:  
  
"Oracle I need to test the server and see if it'll let us open up the secret staircase."  
  
"Who's Oracle?" Asked Naomi.  
  
"Oracle's a VR made by Sensei to help him down here in the secret headquarters."  
  
In an instant the figure was before them.  
  
"You must be Naomi Grant," she bowed slightly, " my name's Oracle. I hope to be of an assistance." Gabe interrupted her, and yelled:  
  
"It's open! The staircase is open. Watch your step" He bolted up the steps with Naomi, Oracle and Kaia running right behind him. 


	8. Chapter eight part one

The sun was shining and the air smelled less of smoke and more of a natural forestal. Naturally Gabe had been the first to rush out into the open air. Breathing in the air in gulps as for the last two weeks he had been deprived. Kaia stuck her head out making sure Naomi was all right before stepping out into the quiet atmosphere. Naomi, lastly, came out rather cautiously.  
  
"Are you sure those 'rangers' are gone?"  
  
The other two looked at her and nodded. Finally she came out and the three finally had the courage to take in what surrounded them. Ashes. That's the only way to describe it. Everything was burnt tot the ground-  
  
"Oh my goddess." Kaia said softly as Naomi screamed and went into tears. Gabe took her in his arms and comforted her putting his head on hers as he hugged her. She cried into his shoulders, sobbing and talking of regrets.  
  
"How could they do this-"  
  
Kaia walked to the first person that she saw and kneeled by the human. Pulling his body so she could see its face she then recognized him as a classic school rival. Sitting back on her heels she knew what had happened.  
  
"They were out-numbered, but Lothor would have taken them captive I don't know why they are dead-" Gabe was trying to explain to Naomi.  
  
"No." Kaia said quietly and then more forcefully:  
  
"NO. They were in the building hiding. That's what happened. They were running from their deaths only it was unavoidable."  
  
Gabe looked at Kaia his eyes pleading to help them. But she just shook her head.  
  
"If I could have found them in time then maybe I could have helped them but not when they're dead- it's only the dying." She stood up and took a long deep breath and eyed how many there were. She figured at least a thousand.  
  
"The only thing we can do now for them is to make sure their deaths aren't in vain." She continued at last.  
  
With that she started walking towards her two friends. Naomi still softly sobbing finally cleared her throat.  
  
"I am going to take a walk around. See if anything survived. I mean like equiptment." Slowly she walked to the closest part of the building that had been destroyed although far enough away from the bodies of human friend corpses. Gabe walked to catch up to her but Kaia's hand went on his arm and like a vise held him there.  
  
"Don't. She needs time alone and besides I need help giving them all a proper burial." Growling he thought it over and figured she was right Naomi had to deal with this in her own way. So he casually but forcefully shook her off.  
  
The process was long and they grew tired but that restless sensation to kick Crimson and Navy's butt was kindling them to go on. Although, Kaia was more for going after her father more than anything. _____________________________________________________________ It was quiet and Naomi was all for it. The birds were the only music she heard and she hummed her own little song to ease the tension. She stopped when she came to a part of the building that somehow didn't seem quite as damaged as the rest. Intrigued, Naomi quietly walked through the charred doorway. The burnt smell was stronger here and it was difficult to breathe but she pressed on. Looking from here to their she lifted up a table that was on its side and found a box with a symbol on it.  
  
Surprised she looked around and went to touch it. Her brows furrowed with concentration. However, upon contact her memory of her last day at school, talking to her friends, going to there secret head quarters, flooded back to her and she flew back her hand as if shocked. The quiet, shy, Naomi was gone for an instant as the old one came back for an encore performance. Smiling, she nodded her head and bent to pick up the box. _______________________________________________________ 


	9. eight part two

_________________________________________________________  
~3 WEEKS LATER~ "Aha! Gotcha" Kaia said as she worked underneath the computer adjusting the plugs and wires. With a smile on her face she slid out from their when a foot tapped hers.  
  
"What are you doing you have to go to school in ten-." Naomi was cut off.  
  
"So do you."  
  
"Not until later, you know I have senior privileges. Come on!" Pulling Kaia up and dragging her out the door with one hand and holding her back pack with the other.  
  
"You have to go before the bus." She stopped short as she heard the bus leaving."  
  
"WAIT!" Naomi yelled trying to get the driver's attention. The bus, however, just kept going. Cursing her luck she looked at Kaia who just smiled.  
  
"Guess I'll just have to-"  
  
"Oh no you don't you're catching that bus on the way back." Naomi concluded ending the argument.  
  
"Okay Mom and I promise I'll eat all my veggies and drink my juice." Kaia chided.  
  
"Hush up. You're ridiculous! I don't know how Sensei ever dealt with your stupidity." She stomped off expressing with her movements how annoyed she was.  
  
The words had come out before the thoughts and once realized both looked at each other in silence. Kaia thought, ' did she have to mention him?'  
  
A jeep then pulled up to both of them. A blond-streaked hair teen with blue eyes popped his head over the passenger seat.  
  
"Hey, Namz did Kaia miss the bus again?" His eyes brimmed with mirth.  
  
"Gabe!" Kaia was happy to see him she didn't want to take the bus.  
  
"Gabe do you mind taking Kaia to school? I would but I don't go in til late and I have a test that I really need to study for."  
  
Unlocking the door he opened it and motioned for Kaia to get in. She jumped in and threw her bag on the backseat floor.  
  
"Thank you." Naomi replied as she waved them off and walked back to go study.  
  
___________________________________________ In the car Kaia put the radio on to 95.7 and cranked it up. They turned off the dirt road and headed back towards civilization. The trees were green and the sky was clear blue. After a few minutes Gabe took his hand off the wheel to turn down the music creating a frown from his passenger.  
  
"So what were you doing that was so important you missed the bus, again?"  
  
"I fixed the computer I think now we are back online with all the other communities." She bubbled up at the thought of finding the survivors of any of the others.  
  
"Did you? Hmm.does it really matter? I mean its history in our past. Don't you think it's time to start a new chapter." He looked at her briefly and the pain on her face was so strong that he quickly ducked his head.  
  
"How could you say that!" Frustrated Kaia just shook her head.  
  
"Well, look it's been what four and a-"  
  
"Three and a half since we burried the poor people who-"  
  
"They chose to run and hide."  
  
"So it's all their fault." Kaia 'humphed' and folded her arms over her chest refusing to continue to talk to him. Looking out the car door she had never felt more alone.  
  
Gabe felt guilty. He did, really.for about 2.5 seconds. Not about those cowards: 'they had their chance to defend the honor of themselves and the academy and they screwed it up.' However knowing that Kaia would have to leave soon he did feel guilty about having their last few days together spent furious with one another. As it is it was hard enough to explain where her guardian went to the police. Not that she knew she'd be leaving soon. I am sure she figured everything would be peachy for another couple months, maybe more. Truth was they were running out of time.  
  
The fact that she was hanging around that underground place disturbed him. He knew she could never get over it until she stopped going. 'Now if she only had listened she'd be better by now but of course she had to be the rebelistic one.'  
  
"I really think you need to stop going there." He said to the back of her head.  
  
Silence.  
  
He went on.  
  
"Time is the only cure for pain and you're running out." Then he said as more of an after thought. "Don't let it consume you." She shifted, her eyes narrowed to meet his the briefest flicker of flame could almost be seen.  
  
"They didn't have to die. If I can get to the servers that were taping it all I could make a video that could show what happened so they would know our side of the story. So that they wouldn't be forgotten."  
  
"Show it to whom? No one knows that our academy exists-"  
  
"The others."  
  
"-And even if they did then there would have been more needless deaths. If a ninja trainee couldn't handle kelzaks than a police officer wouldn't have stood a chance."  
  
He was furious that she would even consider the idea of making a tape. He took a hard left, which threw her to the side of the car and put on the brake. She hadn't realized it but they were right in front of the school.  
  
"I am getting your bus stop changed." He said to her as she jumped out of the jeep and stomped off never looking back.  
  
Kaia knew he'd change her bus stop but she wouldn't let him change her mind. She had to hold on to the past and make room for the future. Walking up the steps and into the building she knew she had a tough day ahead of her.  
  
______________________________________________  
  
Gabe parked at the first lot he could find at his job. He opened the door with the sign MechaAngel written on it.  
  
"Hey Mel sorry I was late I had to drive her to school, again." The look he gave was evident. He didn't want to talk about it. A cheerful woman with short black hair and an apron answered him.  
  
"Don't worry so much, Gabe, I feel bad for her. Anyway the next appointment isn't for another half an hour. If you want you can help me go get the new supplies from out back."  
  
Gabe followed her and helped to bring in all the equipment and then took on the next customer working the day away, he never gave another thought to his problems.  
  
___________________________________________________________  
  
The bus pulled up to the dirt path. Kaia quickly got off the bus and ran towards her sanctuary.  
  
"I have to finish it before he stops me." She muttered breathlessly to the air.  
  
Going into their underground HQ she saw Naomi reading, as usual. Naomi didn't look up as Kaia's pack hit the floor and she went into the refrigerator, they had found and hooked up, grabbed a soda and opened it up with a 'POP'. She took a sip. Then a clock struck three. The two looked at each other silently each understanding but not wanting to speak.  
  
Unceremoniously switching to her outfit Kaia said:  
  
"I am going to go practice. You know to stay in shape..." She let the thought drift in mid air.  
  
"Wait. I am coming too!" Naomi hollered. Throwing her book down and jumping up to race after Kaia.  
  
The two ran until neither could run no longer. Then they each practice what they normally would. Although both were in different branches they became comforted by each other's presence. When they were done they walked back; Naomi to finish her novel and Kaia to see if she had fixed the computer.  
  
______________________________________________  
  
Once she started typing codes on the keyboard she was in her own little corner of the universe. A smile creeped onto her face when all of Sensei's files started to upload to the computer.  
  
"So I thought I would make dinner. Decide what we should do."  
  
The smile left.  
  
"Aww come on. You can't honestly expect me to leave this place. It's like a playground for me."  
  
"I am not saying that." As she got out all the cooking untencils and started to boil water.  
  
"Then what? Do you mean you want to talk about what we should do?"  
  
"I want to have a back up plan for when Gabe kicks us out." They both smiled at that thought.  
  
"We could just kick his a-"  
  
"KAIA!" Her name was screamed but the only true reaction she got was a laugh from her friend.  
  
"Maybe I could come up with a less violent way. Hmm."  
  
"That would be wise. So when do you think the computer will be fixed?"  
  
"Give or take," she looked at her watch, "thirty seconds."  
  
In thirty seconds Oracle popped up.  
  
"Hello Kaia, Naomi, I thought you'd want to know that everything is operational."  
  
Applause and high fives were sent all around! That's when the map of the world popped up and a red light blinked.  
  
"Kai what's wrong with it. There's only one place blinking." Running over she tapped on the screen and chose that. She started typing furiously on the computer.  
  
"It's an academy but it's online which means that there is life there. I am going to try to narrow it down."  
  
Naomi came over and put the macaroni bowl she had for Kaia down on the table and she walked over to stand behind her.  
  
"They are in the United States.somewhere west.in California.a place named Blue Bay Harbor. Have you ever heard of it?" Asking as she looked back for any reaction from Naomi.  
  
Trying not to freak out she put on her calm face and shook her head. In real life her head was buzzing ferociously with questions. 'Why there? She was getting an odd feeling but she just shook it off. Kaia's voice interrupted her thoughts.  
  
"Hey I am on a chat line with them! I'll post and see if they talk back." She typed in a question:  
  
Ireland: Who are you?  
  
CA: Who are you?  
  
"Oh my Goddess!" Kaia exclaime, "They wrote back."  
  
CA: Who are you?  
  
Ireland: We're friends. We want to talk to an authorative figure.  
  
CA:: You're being impossible. Are you another academy?  
  
Ireland: Yes, you don't have to be obnoxious. We got attacked. Were you the ones that sent that message?  
  
CA: We sent it. How come it took you so long to get back online?  
  
Ireland: We had some.problems but what's it to ya?  
  
CA: To make sure you're not some imbecile.  
  
Ireland: Look who's talking. We're just looking to help.  
  
CA: Okay smart aleck why don't you put your money where your mouth is.  
  
Ireland: Bring it on.  
  
Ireland: Okay, folks bring out the white flag. Okay? Is there anyway we could meet you? We have the right equipment.  
  
CA: Come to Blue Bay Harbor the coordinates are attached in an email. See you in 72 hrs.  
  
Ireland: Okay, until then  
  
"What the heck" Kaia said. "You're going to let them push us around!" She followed Naomi aggressively to the table to eat. When both were done Naomi stated.  
  
"No. We need to meet up with them. Trust me. If the bad guy could defeat us before.they need all the back up they could get." She waited a moment still lost in thought.  
  
" Just call Gabe and have him pack his bags. We are leaving at Ten o'clock tomorrow morning!"  
  
"HELLO! I have school!" Kaia protested.  
  
"Okay then we won't take a fieldtrip to the US we'll go to school instead." In a heart beat Kaia was picking up the phone.  
  
"Well if you put it that way." She cried to Naomi as her friend was walking out the door.  
  
_______________________________________________________________  
  
"Dad are you sure this such a goo idea? I mean what if it's a trap?" Cam said to his father. Sensei just looked at them all and said,  
  
"I fear there is more to this than meets the eye."  
  
The six of them looked at each other and didn't know what to say except to divvy out the jobs needed to be done in prep in case this was one of Lothor's many tricks. _________________________________________________________________  
  
Naomi walked back to where she had left the box right by the water. She sighed. Somehow this just seemed so much different than she expected. But if it was worth it than they had to try. A tear fell down her cheek and she started to hum and then sing softly a song she had heard when she was young.  
  
As humans we do what we must for now and trust in their plan If I trust in mine, somehow, I might find who I am  
  
In some new place On some new face I've never seen I might find where I belong someday And there may even be another dream for me Waiting there somewhere along the way  
  
But where do I go from here So many voices ringing in my ear Which is the voice That I was meant to hear How will I know? Where do I go? From here  
  
Drying her tears she picked herself and the box up and carried away from its resting-place and to their secret palce hoping against hope her friends will understand. She knew what they needed to do and she was ready but were they able to do it too? A stronger Naomi was showing up again and this time it was going to stay until her work was done.  
  
__________________________________________________________ "You can't be serious. I am not going to go on some half baked mission because you want to believe in a miracle that doesn't exist!" Gabe roared.  
  
"That's not true." Naomi protested. Kaia looked at them both trying to decide who was a saner choice to pick. Gabe looked at Kaia who had her bags all ready and at the door with Naomi's.  
  
"Kaia go get ready for school." She didn't move.  
  
"No. I believe that Naomi is right and we have to help them."  
  
"B. S. you believe in anything getting you out of school. She wants you to believe that the Power Rangers exist." He shook his head.  
  
"I do. I am in. Namz If he's not with us than let's just go." She grabbed Naomi's elbow in the direction of the door.  
  
"Gabriel Patterson if you believe in justice then do me one favor, you too Kaia. Gabe, I want you open the box on the counter. On three.  
  
He looked at her confused.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Kaia open up your little backpack." She nodded totally connected with Naomi.  
  
"One, two, three!" Both bolted their packs and looked inside to see what treasures or mockery they might find. 


	10. Legends

Kaia opened up her back pack and found nestled in a corner an object wrapped in white silk. Gabriel who had opened the box on the other side of the room had found a similar object in black silk. Naomi had gone to her left hand and pulled back her flowing sleeve to produce the last and similar item.  
  
"Unwrap them." She said. Noticing the smile tugging at Gabe's lips when he realized justwhat these might be. Both took the cloth from the object and produced similar yet different devices.  
  
"No way!" He breathed unbelieving.  
  
"You have got to be kidding." The flash of a smile was more than just excitement. Kaia jumped up and said even more enthusiastically:  
  
"Road trip!"  
  
High fiving Naomi she put it on her wrist.  
  
"This isn't the way it was supposed to be," Naomi said bringing the two down to earth, "Not like the legends where a greater good passed them down to the rangers to be. We don't have that and I found them by accident under a table."  
  
"It doesn't matter. Let's go kick some bag guy butt." Kaia said. Gabe with one look shut her up.  
  
"In a way this happened the way it was meant to be-" He started to explain.  
  
"You mean we three were destined to play this part. Maybe you two were but this," she pointed to the morpher, " this was just a stupid dream that my friends and I made up. In truth I bet they'd laugh if they knew. I am just not the type."  
  
Gabe put his arm around her and said encouragingly:  
  
" The scroll, Power of Three talks of three people. The first Chosen One possesses a greater knowledge of all forces; the next Chosen One has a mind that can redefine the meaning behind lucky. The last chosen one relates with solemnity but that same piece of them holds it from its destiny."  
  
Naomi looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"There's a scroll, more than one really, that foretells of all different kinds of warriors who in a time of need can be called upon to save the universe."  
  
"We've already met one, although I bet more than one of them are there at the Wind Academy. It makes sense in a way I never thought of."  
  
The three looked at each other and at the morphers.  
  
"Is this a joke? I can nearly manage my abilities without you adding on the whole 'save the universe' thing." Kaia exclaimed adrenaline rushing in her voice.  
  
"No joke. Think about it. I am a solemn person-" He said pointing to himself as Naomi moved away from him to look for something on the computer.  
  
"And you, Naomi, you fit the lucky one who has a great mind. You're the most fanatical of the three of us. Or make that of the academy..."  
  
Kaia started to believe that he was right. Growing irritated she wanted to know whether someone wanted her or not. 'Please don't leave behind like me Mum and Dad did. Please let someone want me.'  
  
"Okay, okay so are you gonna tell me where I fit in or am I going to be left in the dusk again?" Folding her arms over her chest.  
  
Laughing, Gabe didn't even waste a second before answering her afraid that she'd change her mind about being part of it. Like he almost had.  
  
"Haha, Kaia the only thing it says that makes me believe it's you is that there has to be someone with a greater knowledge and a hidden past. You don't know your parents and you are the only of the three of us whose color represents spirit. Spirit is all forces left over and combined which is you."  
  
He held out his hand for her to grasp and she did.  
  
"So what do you say we go see if these Wind Ninjas need help kicking evil butt." Inside she was scared. She didn't want anyone to know that Lothor was her father. She gulped and nodded.  
  
"Let's go I have the coordinates!" Naomi yelled as she grabbed her bags.  
  
Thinking about it Kaia went over to the computer and put in the codes for the blue prints. Searching she finally found what she was looking for.  
  
"Hey y'all why don't we take the jett?" A coy expression was written across her face.  
  
"Now that's what I am talking about." Gabe exclaimed as they followed Kaia down to the hangar and pressed the codes to get into hangar 4.  
  
"Oracle, can we keep communication with you from inside the jett once we take off?" Inquired Kaia.  
  
"Yes, of course it even has computer for the passengers, navigation systems, auto pilot." Oracle went on and on about all the bonus features.  
  
"I am driving!" Gabe said as Naomi walked in with her stuff and put it in a cubby.  
  
"No problems there," Kaia said when she thought about it, "I think I'd crash us. I can't even drive!" The others chuckled at that prospect.  
  
"If you can't drive are you sure that you're old enough to save the world." Gabe jibed.  
  
"Well someone's got to keep you from Cloud Nine. Mister solemn." She retorted sarcastically  
  
"Are you sure you're not talking about Miss Lucky over there. She's the one with the expandable mind." He bounced back.  
  
"Knock it off children." Naomi glared at them both. Kaia stuck her tongue out and then winked at Gabe, who could only silently protest her actions.  
  
"Go ahead Gabe you take pilot all sit with you up here as co-pilot. Oh and Kaia I want you to run some simulation testing on these. We've got a lot of ground to cover before we get there. It may seem like a lot but it'll fly."  
  
She showed her the documents.  
  
As the jett started to rise the three gave a 'yahoo' and off they went. Looking out the window they saw the place where they buried the victims and Naomi said a prayer for them.  
  
'Ladies and gentlemen the defenders of the galaxy' She thought almost bitterly. 'Figures that they would take the least likely three and put them together to form a group that's only job is to save the world. I just hope we don't screw it up!' 


	11. Meet and Greet: New friends and old enem...

The sun was bright and the whole world was out around town. Kaia was in her white tank and capris while Gabe sported his jeans and black t-shirt. Both looked like every other Blue Bay Harbor teen.except they weren't. They had judt been assigned the biggest gig of all.to help save the world. Don't get them wrong it's not like they didn't want to.it's more of like they weren't sure if they could although Kaia was strting to feel the superhero vibe. The two of them were assigned this part of town and both would rather do other stuff so they decided to split the day half way.  
  
"We just got to stop at a store along the way. You'll like it." He said. Kaia rolled her eyes and then narrowed in on a shop less than a hundred feet from them. Pointing she exclaimed:  
  
"Dude, I am going in there."  
  
Looking at the sign Gabe laughed. Kaia stopped with her hands on her hips.  
  
"What's so funny?" He pointed in emphasis  
  
"That's the place I was looking for."  
  
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" She replied as she bolted into the shop. A place a little less crowded than the streets. It was playing awesome music and she dove into the racks with suits on it.  
  
Gabriel's taste was a little less watery as he preferred fixing anything that runs. He strted checking out the supplies they had. Both roamed around the store for a few minutes.  
  
"Hey do you need any help?" A young woman asked.  
  
"No I am cool." They both said at the same time.  
  
"Okay then just call if you need." Was the reply.  
  
Gabe went over to Kaia.  
  
"Hey what if I decided-"  
  
"Only if that means I can-"  
  
"Well duh, should we ask?"  
  
"Sure oh and by the way I need some money." She held out her hand as he rolled his eyes but supplied her with some cash. Smiling she walked to the cash register with Gabe right behind her.  
  
The woman was the same person who had talked to them earlier. She was talking to two other teens.  
  
"Hi. Is that all okay that's 8.99." Kaia gave up the ten-dollar bill.  
  
"You sound like you have an accent. Where you from?" One of the teens asked, the taller of the two.  
  
"Ireland." Gabe answered.  
  
"Do you know where the best beach is?" Kaia asked abruptly highly impatient with Gabe.  
  
"Yeah, what do you like to do?" Said one, the girl, obviously interested.  
  
"Surfing. I wanted to take on some waves before we leave here tonight." Was Kaia's answer.  
  
"Forget surfing, Kai I want to know where I can find that fastest thing on wheels." Gabe interrupted pushing Kaia out of the way.  
  
In an instant the two were bickering at each other. A piercing whistle stopped them.  
  
"I am going to a track if you want you can come test some out." Kelly said.  
  
"Actually Kelly we can take her with us we were planning on catching some waves anyway. That is if you want to?" The blond girl said.  
  
"Sure." They both answered at the same time. _____________________________________________________________  
  
Naomi was running to their secret club house she remembered in her memory looking for a key to where her friends live. Once inside she quickly took the old phone book out that hadn't been updated in years.  
  
"Wonder If they forgot about the place?" She questioned the air. Finding what she was looking for she tore the info out and ran out the door. Turning corners she followed her muscle's memory.  
  
"Please let them be home."  
  
_________________________________________________________________ At the beach the sand was nice and warm and digging your heels underneath felt even better. Unless of course you were itching to get into the water and not worry about a tan.  
  
"By the way my name's Tori," she said reaching out her hand in which Kaia shook, " and this is Blake."  
  
"Hey." He said with a warm smile.  
  
"My name's Kaia."  
  
"Nice to meet you." They said.  
  
"Now I don't think the waves will be as cold as they are in Ireland but they're just as good." Blake said referring to where she had come from.  
  
"It's all good." She said as they walked into the water with their boards, becoming one with them. They swam out to meet some tough waves hoping they weren't small.  
  
___________________________________________________________  
  
"Nice job 27! Your time's improving," Kelly said, " Come over here I want you to meet Gabriel. Gabriel this is Hunter and Dustin.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Gabriel wants to see the best out their he's a mechanic for MechaAngels." She continued.  
  
Pulling the hair from his face Dustin exclaimed.  
  
"Dude, those people have like the best of the best working for them." Hunter nodded in agreement.  
  
"So do you wanna test one?" Gabe looked at his watch he had time.  
  
"Why not but I can't promise anything good. I am a better mechanic than a moto driver." Everyone laughed when he said that. _______________________________________________________________  
  
Time flew by for the three and pretty soon they were saying goodbye to their new friends and heading off towards the meeting place that looked more like a forest.  
  
"Dude, next time you gotta come out on the waves with me it was wicked!" Kaia exclaimed, still pumped.  
  
"Only if you try moto."  
  
"Dream on." She said. " I wonder where Naomi is." ___________________________________________________________ Naomi was lost and she wanted to cry. She new from her watch that she had to leave but she didn't know how to get to the main road. She just started walking in any direction when a car pulled up to her.  
  
"Umm excuse me do you need a ride?" A teen with glasses and a green shirt asked. "I don't normally do this but you look like you could use some help." He leaned on the brake.  
  
"If you don't mind." She said as she hopped in the car.  
  
"Now where were you trying to go?"  
  
"Paris Hill. A friend used to live there." She knew if she could find it she could meet her friends.  
  
" I am on my way by there, I'll drop you off." ____________________________________________________________  
  
Cam walked into HQ to meet the others.  
  
"You should have seen her it was amazing!" Tori was telling them about their new friend Kaia.  
  
"Yeah well her friend is a psyco on moto." Dustin recalled Gabe.  
  
"Uh rangers you should go outside I sense a force coming this way."  
  
The six ran out of the room to see what everything was all about. Thinking they should morph they said:  
  
"Ninja Storm, Ranger Form!"  
  
"Thunder Storm, Ranger Form!"  
  
Fully prepared they went out. When they got there they saw three teens. Opening there visors Tori and Dustin said:  
  
"Kaia?"  
  
"Gabe?"  
  
"Wait a minute why are you with them?" Naomi said pointing at the Thunder Rangers. The three longed at them and a fight ensued though they were not as invincible as their ranger clad friends.  
  
Kaia was pulled off of Hunter by Tori and Cam while the othr two pulled Naomi and Gabe off of Blake.  
  
"Tori let me go! These guys are the enemies!" She struggled in their grasp.  
  
Hunter looked at them and it clicked.  
  
"Uh bro remember those kids we met awhile back? They're back." Was all he said.  
  
An unsettling silence had befallen on all nine.  
  
"Listen to us, Gabe, Kaia, we were under a spell by Lothor." Blake and Hunter said trying to reach them.  
  
All at once the three stopped struggling understanding what had happened. Then the rangers felt it was safe and demorphed.  
  
"So now what?" Cam asked.  
  
"We do what we came here to do." Naomi said  
  
"We came to help." Explained Kaia. ______________________________________________________________________ 


	12. part eleven

"We came to take down Lothor we figured you'd need our help." Naomi said as they walked into Ninja Ops. Her and Cam were talking about what the three of them were doing so far from home.  
  
*Though it seemed like the three understood there was still a slight feeling of frustration surrounding them. Underneath all of it the aura of tension would soon be broken with such force it would take an amazing power to take it down. As they walked into Ninja Ops Gabe couldn't help but complain.  
  
"I still can't believe that you are the good guys." Gabe was looking at Hunter and Blake who eyed them warily. Kaia nodded and was the first to back him up.  
  
"I second that, spell or no you switched awfully fast." Kaia spat eyeing them both with concern. She then turned to face the Wind Ninjas.  
  
"Are you sure you're not under a spell? Cuz I-"  
  
"Don't start again-" Hunter reacted more to Kaia's challenge than Gabe's.  
  
"We just went over this." Blake commented.  
  
"-mean it would make sense." Kaia continued than walked over to Blake and took his wrist and tried to pry the morpher off of him. To see if she could connect to Lothor.  
  
Blake instantly went into combat mode and Kaia aimed a punch but he blocked it and then knocked her to the ground with his own attack.  
  
Everyone turned around to watch the challenge. Flipping out Naomi yelled at kaia and Gabe, hoping it would break the ice that surrounded their thick heads. "Guys, get over it! It's not like the first time this has happened to rangers-so stop freaking out!" Naomi's scream succombed the silent room.  
  
"Sure, you weren't the one stuck with them for a week and a half!" Kaia retorted remembering having to deal with the Thunders alone before. Shifting over to Hunter she sweeped him off his feet and took him down.  
  
"That's for taking me prisoner!" She glared at him as Blake came up behind her and grabbed her shoulder, making her off balance.  
  
Blake, Hunter really that's enough!" Tori tried to calm the boys down. Reaching over to one of them she tried to grab their wrist but missed.  
  
"So much for forgive and forget." Tori stated. Backing up to rethink her strategy.  
  
"They were the reasons why are lives are turned up side down!" His thought directed towards the wind rangers. Then he turned his anger towards Naomi.  
  
"How do you know so much about the rangers anyway!"  
  
"You're the one who refused to admit it!" She shot back ignoring his question. Going up to him she looked into his eyes.  
  
"I got us this far-trust me."  
  
That was a fire starter that broke Gabe's tension and he let it all out.  
  
"Oh REALLY, WELL WHO DIED AND MADE YOU LEADER?"  
  
"HMM.YOU!" Naomi shot back with an attitude.  
  
Shocked the others looked on and leaning over Dustin and Tori said to Kaia, who was still fighting Blake:  
  
"Are they-"  
  
"Always like this?"  
  
"No. Usually it's me and Gabe." A slight smile escaped on to her lips.  
  
"Someone's gotta break up this fight." Cam commented but made no move to get in the middle of it. Then he corrected himself.  
  
"These fights. They might break something."  
  
"This wouldn't have happened if Kaia hadn't come running to us!" Gabe yelled transferring his anger to Kaia.  
  
"Oh no you are not blaming this on me." She kicked blake and swung at Hunter. Then doing a couple of backflips she turned to face Gabe. She shoved him.  
  
"All I did was come to get help, the Thunders took care of the rest."  
  
Hunter shook his head and made for Naomi, Kaia and Gabe.  
  
"Hunter", Blake warned, "don't do anything stupid."  
  
Fully aware that his bro wasn't going to leave this alone. I am just as mad at them as you but I know that a fight is not going to solve the problem.hopefully!  
  
"The three of you are pathetic." Hunter said making the three turn on him. He quickly backed up and tried to make peace.  
  
"That's it wonderboy you're going down. Now that Lothor's not here there's no one to stop me from kicking your-" Kaia made a move but Gabe and Naomi stopped her.  
  
"Kaia let's stop wasting our time here. We'll go take care of Lothor all by ourselves." Dragging Kaia with him out the door it was all Kaia could do not to rip his head off.  
  
"You've been warned rangers you try anything dumb and I'll be back here in a flash." Was the last statement that Kaia made before she was out of hearing range.  
  
Naomi just stood there. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to cry. She wanted to stop hurting. Most of all she wanted to help. Of course helping them meant leaving her friends. How could she do that? Still the thought of joining the Wind and Thunders against Lothor sounded a lot safer than doing all alone.  
  
No one made a move to talk to Naomi, not one single ranger. Hunter helped Blake up and they checked for bruises. All of them looked at her half ready to fight and half peacefully; they couldn't decide the reactions of this one. As she took her back pack off and opened it up they tensed.  
  
Sighing she took three letters out of her bag. Then zipped the bag up and Slowly she walked over to Shane and said to him.  
  
"I am sorry about my friends they are.different. Anyway please do me this favor." He held his hand out to accept the packaged letters.  
  
"These are for some friends of mine-"  
  
"The ones you were trying to find." Cam responded. Naomi shook her head "yes. These are extremely important I don't know if I will get another chance." She looked at them her eyes filled with hope.  
  
"We'll give them to your friends." He took the letters out of her hands.  
  
She turned around and wasn't going to look back. She had come so close to her dreams only to find them shattered. It was not a good day for her.  
  
"What are you going to do now?" Tori asked looking at her with simpathy. 'There's something about her that reminds me of someone. I just wish I knew whom.  
  
"Not sure got to go make sure they are all right. Maybe we'll just go home. 'The less sensible option; running away but it just doesn't seem right.'  
  
"Dude, you shouldn't leave we could probably use your help." Dustin said enthusiastically in his way of asking her to stay. He held out his hand.  
  
"Your friends are bound to get over this eventually. Give them and yourself a chance." Cam surprised everyone with that remark.  
  
"I don't know if it was truly meant to be." She wiped a tear and said finally, "Goodbye rangers.until we meet again.  
  
Then she walked out to look for her miscreant friends who cost them their allies.  
  
________________________________________________________ "Dude you know that wasn't so bad." Dustin exclaimed trying to cheer up his buds.  
  
"You have got to be kidding, right. It was non stop fighting." Hunter rallied.  
  
" No you boys had your ego strung up on hi definition, that's what burned a hole in them." Cam said sarcastically.  
  
"All I know is that there's something weird about them." Shane said sitting down next to Tori who looked completely bummed.  
  
" Yeah like I feel like I have met one of them before." Tori said thinking out loud.  
  
The room settled into complete quietness until sensei showed up. One look at them and her knew something was wrong.  
  
"It appears that our new friends are quite different from what you expected, hmm." He looked at them.  
  
"Sensei it was different. I mean alone the three of them seemed like normal teens but when they were together-" Tori was interrupted by Shane.  
  
"They recognized Blake and Hunter and it's like."  
  
" Like they were completely different."  
  
Sensei cocked his head to the side not understanding.  
  
"What are you talking of? How did they know the Thunder Rangers?"  
  
Looking from one to the other they told about what had happened before they met the Wind Rangers. Ending with what had just gone down.  
  
"I understand why they presume to act this way but I don't understand why they chose to fight their problems." He stated.  
  
"Sensei, so what are we supposed to do?" Dustin asked.  
  
"Should we just let them figure this out for themselves?" Blake suggested. Hunter rolled his eyes but refused to comment.  
  
"Dude, and you said we couldn't handle this." Dustin said.  
  
"Yeah, tell me we were a lot better than them.  
  
Cam rolled his eyes knowing he was cornered. Shane stood up and said In his most like cam voice.  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen the defenders of the galaxy." He bowed.  
  
"I did not say it like that," Cam tried to cover, "I was more excited than that."  
  
"Yeah excited at the thought of getting rid of us." Everyone laughed while Cam was still trying to explain. Sensei though interrupted him  
  
"Rangers you must go home you have school tomorrow and Blake, Hunter it might be wise to stay away from them until this has settled down."  
  
"All right with us." Hunter commented.  
  
They all said their good byes and left for home still talking of the day Cam said those worfs. The envelopes forgotten by Shane were left on the table. Sensei looked at the addresses and commented;  
  
"Well this is interesting." ____________________________________________________  
  
" No Mel I don't know when I'll be back.I am thinking like maybe tomorrow if this is all settled." He looked at Naomi who just shook her head.  
  
"Yeah well you know life's difficult.No I don't need anymore support here.alright how about you fax me your stuff and I'll fix it for you by tonight. Promise."  
  
"How long are we going to stay here and do nothing" Kaia asked innocently to Naomi." Who just shrugged and continued to pack her stuff up.  
  
"Why don't you ask our fearless leader." She shot back.  
  
"He's to busy trying to control a store more than a hundred miles away."  
  
"Now come on Mel you know I want it.I promise I will be back for the ceremony.it's in three months Mel how could I possibly miss it?.Okay I will talk to you later. Bye." Gabe shut off his phone and looked at the others as he turned to the refrigerator.  
  
"I am thinking we head back." He stated.  
  
Kaia shook her head.  
  
"Look we came here for a reason to decimate Lothor and I want to NOW!" She let her lungs fill up with air as she tried to restrain herself.  
  
"I am going to bed I will see y'all in the morning." Naomi got up walked into her room, shutting the door. ______________________________________________________  
  
It was the middle of the night and Naomi was having a nightmare. It seemed so real she couldn't tell the difference. She watched as the place was being burned down and ancient scrolls were destroyed. She wanted to scream- she tried to but nothing came out and she watched helpless.  
  
Waking up she gulped in air for a long time before she felt normal again and she drifted off into another part of the dream sequence. __________________________________________________  
  
The bell rang at Blue Bay High and the sun was brightly shining. The forcaster stated that it would be a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky. Dustin was running around trying to find Shane or Tori.  
  
"Dude, did you get a note in your locker?" He asked as they walked down the halls. The other students talking over them.  
  
"No. Why?" He looked questioningly at Dustin. Whom just shook his head.  
  
"You gotta read it to believe it!"  
  
Shane walked a few feet to his locker and unlocked it. Then he put his books away but something fell to the ground that looks oddly familiar. Dustin picked it up and shut Shane's locker nearly missing his fingers.  
  
"Read." Was all he said. Calmly Shane tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter. He read it once and looked at Dustin then read it again.  
  
"No way." He whispered. "Does Tori-"  
  
"Hey guys" Tori was racing down the hall," did anyone else get a letter-"  
  
"We both did." Shane confirmed.  
  
"This week is getting stranger and stranger." They walked down the hall looking at each other for answers.  
  
"First those kids and now this?" Dustin said. He leaned on a random locker. Truly prplexed.  
  
"What's next?" Was Tori's reply. She was answered by Cyber Cam's voice.  
  
"Hey guys we got a small sitch. Lothor sent one of his fish near the beach.  
  
They looked at eachother and nodded.  
  
"Call the others Cyber-Cam and we'll be right there." The teens raced down to the beah in flashing lights. At the same time Hunter, Blake and Cam met them.  
  
"Wait a minute I don't see anyone." Tori commented as they all searched for the evil being.  
  
"If you're looking for mister ugly you're a little late!" A voice said behind them. Slowly they turned around.  
  
"Gabe what are you doing here?" Blake asked. The others went into defense mode as Gabe laughed.  
  
"I took care of it rangers just like I told you I would.'  
  
"So much for team work and the whole three as one thing." Tori commented. The others nodded.  
  
"I gotta run but we'll meet again." He said before vanishing into a cloud of blake smoke.  
  
Turning to everyone Cam said;  
  
"We really have to fix this problem asap. 


	13. part twelve

Ninja Ops 3:00 P. M.  
  
Hunter, Blake, Dustin, Shane and Tori were walking into Ninja Ops completely bummed. It was bad enough they had gotten called out of school but to end up with no task because of an obnoxious kid with friend problems was just a whole other scenario. They were talking to each other but no one came up with a good explanation.  
  
"Dude there has like got to be a rule against that." Dustin complained.  
  
"I agree with ya bro. but there is no way he could've handled that thing, whatever it was, on his own." Shane continued to believe, "there's got to be more to the story."  
  
"Yeah, "Tori stated agreeing with Shane," there's got to be an explanation for all this."  
  
"Oh yeah than what? Cuz all I know is that kid's out of line." Hunter concluded.  
  
"So far I have come up with zilch knowledge," Cam said to them without looking away from the computer. They all went to him to see what he was doing.  
  
"And while dad was taking a walk to clear his head I took the opportunity to try to hack the system in Ireland.Whomever got it back on line more than just knew how to bring it back." He clicked at something on the screen.  
  
"So you're saying." Blake let the sentence drift as he crossed his arms a smirk on his face.  
  
"The reprogramming is more than just an impediment with a fireshield and even more conglomerate triggers. It's prominent that it was made with the full intent of never being able to corrupt the hardrive unit without crashing the whole system.  
  
He turned around and their faces were blank. He sighed.  
  
"Dude I don't get it?" Dustin said turning to Shane.  
  
"Don't look at me I am just as lost as you."  
  
"Umm Cam can you try to speak in English?" Hunter pointed out sarcastically.  
  
"I thought I was but I guess it was to complex for you." He replied meting Hunter's sarcasm one for one.  
  
"Basically all the cheat codes in the world couldn't open this up. The person knew what they were doing when they brought the computer back to life."  
  
"Oh I get it!" Dustin cried out happily as he snapped his finger. Smiling Tori thought for a moment. Finally she looked at him with her head to the side and a question mark on her face.  
  
"You tried to hack their system."  
  
Cam replied to that accusation by putting his hands up in defense.  
  
"It's not like I was doing a bad thing!" He protested, "I wanted answers and if their computer wasn't so.difficult I would have one less question."  
  
"So which one do you think was the absence of brilliance that fooled with your plans." This time the voice belonged to Blake who held a grin on his face; enjoying the moment of teasing Cam.  
  
"Short answer; none of them. Long answer Kaia." Was the reply. Turning back to the screen he tried to hack the database again.  
  
"Unless you can come up with a better answer but to the way I see it all logistics point to her."  
  
The others sat down thinking about this new information; as little as it was. Each in their own mind tried to tell based on their short fling with them who could possibly be that good. It was true all the signs pointed to the spirited girl but that didn't mean that there wasn't a twist somewhere.  
  
"He's right it makes sense." Shane commented to the air.  
  
"She must have been the one we were first talking to." Dustin seconded.  
  
"What gave you that impression?" Cam quizzed.  
  
"Dude she's the only one who."he started.  
  
"Dustin, Cam was joking." Blake cut into Dustin's lengthy reply. Another wave of eerie silence came through the air.  
  
"So what are we going to do about Gabe?" Hunter's annoyance could have been matched by any of them.  
  
"Can't we just tell him to go away or something? I mean he did our job." Dustin replied.  
  
"That's not what I am worried about." Tori started leaving the remark to dry out on the clothesline.  
  
"More like the fact that he did it all alone." Blake ended finishing Tori's sentence.  
  
"It bothers me too." Shane countered. Looking at his teammates and giving them a shrug of his shoulders. They all sat in silence for about ten minutes. Their faces were long with many mixed feelings and emotional above all, because they felt unable to control the situation. Each worried about the others.  
  
"So let's do something about it." Tori gave her friends that 'duh' expression, "Unless you want to continue to sit on the sidelines while Gabe handles our sitch." She continued. Giving the "gottcha" expression.  
  
"It's not going to be that easy." Shane argued from where he was sitting with his head in his hands. He looked up to meet the expressions of his companions before continuing.  
  
"We don't know them- so how can we fight them." Everyone just looked at each other and tried to look away unable to answer his question. A voice of someone they cherished suddenly came forth from out of the blue and they turned their heads to its general direction.  
  
"You're right Shane. Know you do not these people who are enemies yet friends. Trust your inner self and you will find a way." Sensei said passionately.  
  
"Sensei do you think it's possible to reach out to one and maybe get some feedback on the others from that person?" Blake questioned getting an acorn of an idea.  
  
"Dude just don't pick Kaia, she's wacko." Dustin replied to the idea of picking a target.hmm.friend.  
  
"Dustin do not let her radical ideas influence you. She is more than what she seems." Sensei remarked to Dustin's crack about Kaia.  
  
Sitting in the computer chair Cam was silently watching, now, everything that was being said and processing the data into something useful.  
  
"Guys, what about Naomi? She's smart analytical-"  
  
"She didn't try to kill us!" Hunter cut in.  
  
"So let's go find her and talk." Dustin concluded.  
  
There was something nagging at the back of Tori's mind and she didn't know what it was. Something just seemed misplaced. Replaying the whole day in her head it clicked. Quickly she walked over to her backpack and pulled out the letter reading it silently to herself.  
  
Dear Tori, You probably don't remember me but I remember you. all of you. The last time we battled it was side by side trying to ease away my moving fears. Fear of loosing everything I loved to time and change. I see that in a way time and change have caused you to forget and I understand that. But please someday when this is all over and your memory has returned come and see me. I will be waiting for you.For all of you.  
  
N. W.  
  
AT THE SAME TIME  
  
Dustin was sitting with his friends and they believed he was listening. He was on the outside but on the inside his mind was working faster and harder than it ever had before. Damn. There's just something about her.Naomi something that reminds me of. Dustin's eyes went wide with shock and he quickly replaced the shocked face so as not to alert the others. However unbeknownst to Dustin Tori had caught the reaction and registered it as confirmation that their friend was back. Dustin's thoughts shifted, then, to a more negative place.  
  
It's not like they would believe me if I told them. I don't even know if there's truth to it. Hmm. Maybe I should just sleep on it. ________________________________________________________________  
11:30 pm.  
  
Tori looked out her window and sighed. She couldn't believe that her friend was back and she hadn't tried, other than the note, to contact her. Even more it astounded her to think that anyone of the many people who had said hi to her in school or at the beach or anywhere could be their missing friend. Turning from the window she climbed into bed and started to fall asleep.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
Shane, Tori, Dustin and Naomi are having the same dream Scenes were floating in their heads mixed up between what had happened a time ago. Sitting at their table talking to their friends they could sense their presence but the faces were undefined. As if someone was wearing a mask on each of them in order to hide there true identities.  
  
Hey book worm, lay off the fantasies will you.  
  
Cool it Shane.  
  
The three frowned in their sleep unable to wake and unable to fight the feeling of dread. The scenes shifted and swirled bringing them to a place they didn't, at first, recognise.  
  
Please Henrie don't make this any harder than it is.  
  
I'll be gone in a few hours.  
  
Then there's something we'll have to do won't we  
  
Power up  
  
Don't let anybody change who you are  
  
Now who am I supposed to bug?  
  
If you don't write I'll find you and.  
  
Don't forget me, please!  
  
Dude, now who am I supposed to talk about all my favorite Comics and such with?  
  
You'll be getting a lot of mail!  
  
Trust me no matter what you will not be forgotten I will make sure of that!  
  
Life's a story; in a few chapters we will meet again!  
  
I hope we do!  
  
The sadness overwhelmed them and they wept in their sleep their emotions running at full speed.  
  
I'm sorry!  
  
A voice cried out.  
  
"Sorry for what." Was the response the three each gave in the dream.  
  
On the count of three.  
  
One. Two. Three!  
  
Friends Forever!  
  
Goodbye rangers.until we meet again  
  
I don't know if it was truly meant to  
  
Dude, you shouldn't leave we could probably use your help  
  
The scenes started to change again and it was as if it had been on auto pilot.  
  
Dude, did you get a note in your locker.  
  
You gotta read it to believe it  
  
No way  
  
What's next?  
  
We do what we came here to do!  
  
Guys, get over it! It's not like the first time this has happened to rangers-so stop freaking out  
  
How do you know so much about the rangers anyway?  
  
I got us this far-trust me  
  
That voice haunted them as they tried to shoo it away.  
  
These are for some friends of mine  
  
What are you going to do now?  
  
We'll give them to your friends  
  
Give them and yourself a chance  
  
All at once the four teens woke up with a jump-start. Running out of their rooms with nothing but their muscle memory to guide them they ran to what they assumed would give them answers. ________________________________________________________________ Tori went in her door with a blue mark on it. She looked at it, for a moment, and it shocked her to be so close to her childhood memories. Slowly but determinedly she punched in the numbers and opened the door.  
  
Shane was looking at the clubhouse with a major question mark on his face. I haven't been here in ages. As he punched in the numbers and with a quick gesture recognizing the air symbol he bolted in. Not sure what he was looking for or why he came.  
  
Laughing to himself Dustin just walked up to the clubhouse, adrenaline pumping, this doesn't seem right without the others but what would they think if I asked them to visit the place of our childhood; where we were superfriends before superheroes. Well since no one else ever believed except.I am going to do it for our long lost Ranger. I am never going to forget.  
  
Shaking his head he knew it sounded crazy to think the way he did but that's the effect that their Command Center had on him. His past had on him. To think at one point I was wishing I were a ranger.he looked down at his wrist.and now it's no longer a dream but a reality.a rather creepy reality.  
  
Finally he stopped reminiscing and put the numbers in and the door clicked open. Pushing it open he cautiously made his way in and realized it was otherworldly.  
  
The place was a lot bigger than any of them had remembered. As they went down the short tunnel they passed two doors on the right and left. One of them said "Costume Room" and the other held the tunnel to the "Gym" that they had created.  
  
"Man we were wack" breathed Shane as he continued down his side of the place walking to the door straight ahead of me.  
  
Then the three reached the door and opened it up and walked into the room. Upon hearing the others they turned around and said to each other:  
  
"What are you doing here?" Dustin asked Tori and Shane. He looked at them with a major question mark on his face.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing!' Shane shot back still darting his head around to look at the old place.  
  
"I had a dream about Naomi and I don't know it just seemed so right I had to come see it for myself." Dustin continued to explain In detail.  
  
"I had the same dream and drawn prob," he looked at Tori who was walking around to get a better look at everything, " and I bet she had the same one we did."  
  
"It's her. Everything makes sense." Tori started not looking up but trying to put the right password in for the computer she found.  
  
"Woah, woah ,who "is her" what are you talking about?" Shane asked completely confused. Dustin walked over to Tori. He realized exactly what she was talking about and nodded his head to her in agreement.  
  
"Think about the dream. The dream represents what we did when we were kids.now try to concentrate on the unknown face."  
  
Shane did that but still had a cloud on his face. He couldn't picture the person. Then it started to become clearer.a kid with blond hair and a teasing smile.a pink skirt and a white tank.He sighed as he forced his brain to remember.The face it looked so familiar.hittting him like a ton of bricks he knew in a flash who it was.  
  
"Naomi Grant." The three cried in unison. They looked at each other wondering if they had forgotten her or just perhaps misplaced their only memories of her.  
  
"I found a picture of the six of us together when we were younger." Tori stated and the other two crowded around her to get a better look.  
  
BOOOOM.  
  
A crash exploded in the air and the three jumped up prepared to fight. A figure was coming through the rose-white smoke. The light too bright they couldn't see. They were forced to shield their eyes trying to get a hold on the figure before them. Darting around they only saw the outline of the person.  
  
"Maybe it's a ghost." Dustin exclaimed.  
  
"We don't fight ghosts." Shane commented.  
  
"Wait a minute.Could it be?" A smile warm and thrilled flew on her face and she didn't feel nervous or afraid anymore. 


	14. chapter thirteen: Switching Sides

AN: Thanks to all the ppl who are giving me advice. I am really sorry when I write confusingly and I hope in the future that will be less of a prob.-Jen  
  
CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
  
KAABOOM.  
  
Temporarily thrown off balance the three looked at each other. They had a nagging feeling and were itching to just fight whoever had decided to enter their sacred childhood sanctuary. That's when the rose-light hit them, freezing them where they stood. Torn from one idea to the other; to shield their eyes vs. protecting themselves from an attack. The outline in the smoke was clearly female that much they could figure. Witty as usual Dustin remarked:  
  
"Maybe it's a ghost." Looking at him as if he was crazy Shane commented realistically.  
  
"We don't fight ghosts." Tori, however, was figuring out all the odds in her head and calculating what she thought she already knew. Only seconds away from being reassured by the ghost-figure before them. Tori couldn't help but try to give her friends a hint.  
  
"Wait a minute.Could it be?" Looking from one to the other it was clear the boys were clueless.  
  
The aparition decided enough was enough and the time was now to come forward and continue down the path destiny had lain before her. Slowly she stepped down the stairs and walked out of the light so that she could be seen.  
  
Dressed in a rose defined jumpsuit with a morpher still clinging to her wrist she paused in front of her friends and she herself was quite surprised at who they were.  
  
"You're Naomi Grant?" The question came from Shane. She looked at them in wonder, and amazement until her eyes fell upon Dustin's. She wasn't all that surprised that Dustin's destiny meant he'd be battling as a ranger.  
  
"Did y'all miss me when I was in Ireland?" She quietly asked afraid of the answer. What she got in return was more than what she expected. Her friends ran up to her and gave her a big group hug.  
  
"Wait a minute you're a ranger?" Dustin exclaimed excited to find his dear friend in the same boat as them. He couldn't help but grin at that thought.  
  
"I could say the same about all of you. Especially you two." Pointing at Tori and Shane in that playful mood of hers. The others laughed in a way they hadn't since she had left.  
  
"I can't believe I went looking everywhere for you and you ended up right in plain sight." She shook her head. 'This is soo unbelievable.' Then thinking about what Dustin said she replied to his initial statement/question.  
  
"Oh and to answer your question W. B. I am not officially a ranger, if y'know what I mean." She glanced at the morpher in partial annoyance. It had caused her more trouble with her new friends and was bound to make more.  
  
"My comrades are a little more difficult than I would have liked. But what of you all," quickly changing the subject to a lighter note, sarcastically put," you seem to have that whole teamwork thing down with those thunder boys."  
  
Naomi Grant was trying to choose her words carefully because in her heart she knew it would take more than a day or so to stop feeling like they betrayed innocent people by acting upon vengeance with a major badguy.  
  
"They aren't so bad, once you get to know them." Tori replied first in a rush that as the two old friends looked into each other's eyes Naomi gave that all-knowing smirk.  
  
"I am assuming you fancy one of them and that's why you let your guard down." Standing in triumph she allowed an exchange of looks. Knowing that this was a dangerous subject she decided on one less difficult.  
  
Even though they felt at ease at having their friend so near they were concerned about how this was going to affect her and her other two friends who were in all technicality her teammates. Peeling off the thin piece of ice and taking Dustin's hand off her shoulder she spoke to them.  
  
"So, I am thinking that I should stay and help you. Especially since Cam is now a ranger and can't be in two places at once." She remembered hearing Cam's story in her dreams and now she understood what her dream had meant. Letting the thought drift off her tongue she isssued another thought, stopping her old friend before he started.  
  
"I know that sounds like I am betraying them, Dustin, but I am not." She knew all too well that Dustin didn't like her breaking off of her team.  
  
"Are you so sure about that." Responded Shane. Looking at the situation from both sides even he knew it was delicate.  
  
"Y'think you can get Gabe to cool off or something for us." Tori exclaimed reminding them of the airhead doing their job. Naomi couldn't help but laugh, he really is causing a major sitch here isn't he. She thought to herself. Shrugging her shoulders she replied to their wish.  
  
"If only it were that simple. He's kinda-"  
  
"Airhead." Replied one.  
  
"Dark." Shane retorted.  
  
Mysterious." Supplied Dustin thinking of Gabe as a 'lone warrior' type.  
  
She eyed her friends with a childs' enthusiasm.  
  
"I was going to say complicated."  
  
Abruptly Shane said to her.  
  
"So at the very least you're going to come back with us to talk this over, right?" Trying to confirm what she had just said moments ago. A force stronger than nature knocked the wind rangers when they thought about loosing their friend a second time.  
  
"Don't tell me this is goodbye." Tori reguarded her with just as much hope.  
  
"Dude, I don't want to have to say good bye to you again it was hard enough the first time." Dustin took her hand and looked into her eyes and pleaded. She looked away and considered her options. She felt at home among her old friends but the thought of leaving behind Kaia, was hard to deal with. "She needs so much guidance that I know I can give. Perhaps I can do both?" She mentally inquired.  
  
"Like I said before I'll come back with you to work this all out. I meant it when I said I want to help. Though I want to warn you that I can't control what happens with Gabe. When it comes to him I'd be prepared for the worst before the best!"  
  
She grinned back at them and could feel some relief pass through as they all walked out of their sanctuary and to Ninja Ops where they could truly talk in private. ______________________________________________________________________  
  
It was one-thirty in the morning most people would be asleep dreaming of whatever there subconsciousness desired. However, most people weren't Kaia Mackenzie. Kaia softly padded out of her bed and past a sleeping Gabe. She looked for a minute at the sleeping form before opening a window and pulling herself through it.  
  
"There has got to be a better way than this" Muttering, she was trying to think of another exit than the window for next time. Jumping down she stayed still for a moment and relaxed when she heard Gabe still snoring.  
  
Grabbing her bag she ran through the woods and using her GPS she tracked Naomi down. When she started to fade in to civilization with all its blinking lights and stop signs she slowed.  
  
The signal got stronger as she closed in on her friend. She could sense she was getting closer. She walked along the side of a huge building hiding in the shadows. Reaching into her backpack she put her tracking device away and clung to the side. Silently and slowly she looked over the building's North side.  
  
"I know it sounds unfair but I can't help it. I am not going to just leave y'all. Kaia does whatever Gabe says so they'll probably end up going back. He doesn't even like it here; he just complains about how much work he's missing." A familiar voice was telling three teens that Kaia recognized as the enemies. Grinding her teeth she didn't budge as they came closer. Not believing Kaia for a minute.  
  
"Are you sure that's a good idea." Tori questioned as she thought about what Naomi had told tem of her life in Ireland and more importantly about her friends.  
  
"Yeah, it sounds like you were a major influence on her." Shane commented reminding her, in a subtle way, how much Kaia had meant to her.  
  
"Truth is.Kaia will most likely be taken back by the people in Child Services. She'll then be placed in another home in Ireland or shipped off somewhere else." Replying matter of factly, refusing to accept that she could do anything about it.  
  
"You can't get split up; like it or not they are still your family." Tori said in thinking about how unclose her family and her was. Tori didn't want to see that happen.  
  
"NO. You guys," Naomi pointed to Tori, Dustin and Shane, "you are my family they are just a liability. I am not loosing you all like I lost my parents." Blurting out the secret that had most scarred her and changed her into the silent type.  
  
In the dark Kaia's eyes were filling up with tears. Tears , that she would be shipped off when this was over, tears because Naomi lost her parents- she understood what that felt like, and tears because in truth Naomi didn't want her around because she hated her.  
  
That hurt more than anything in the world. She wanted-needed to be loved by someone. It sucked that someone she loved so dearly disliked her to the point she wished that she would be sent off somewhere far away.  
  
Deciding she couldn't take anymore she raced off in a white light to their temporary HQ. Pulling herself up she slipped through the window and gently walked over to her bedroom door and opened it silently.  
  
"I told you she would turn on us." In the dark she could see Gabe. What he said to her was the truth but now was not the time to hear how right he was. _________________________________________________________________  
  
Sitting in a chair Naomi looked first at Sensei then at her friends and she, finally, eyed Hunter and Blake warily. She still didn't trust them- that comes with time. But she was willing to accept them as Rangers in the mean time. Feeling like a hurricane hit her she sighed impatiently.  
  
"You know you have to do what is right by everyone. They need you just as much as you need them." Sensei said which startled her. She looked up at him expecting him to continue on.  
  
"The three of you must work together." He continued on just as she predicted in a 'no non-sense' kind of way.  
  
"I realize that but it's just not that simple." Crying out in exasperation.  
  
"It is." Replied evenly. She wanted to shoot venomous eyes at him.  
  
"Guys, I am picking up another thing. But I can't see what it is. I think we better take a look." Cam broke into the conversation. His friends quickly transformed and then he did himself. Looking at his friends he said;  
  
"Let's fry this guppy!"  
  
"Yeah before Gabe does it again." Blake hissed. They all walked out as Naomi took battle stations at the computer and tried to figure out how to use it. Wishing Kaia was around she wanted to curse the stubborn computer who just sat their flashing lights. Then the lights went out.  
  
"I think we're in trouble." Naomi thought more to herself than Sensei. She grabbed her pocket for her mini flashlight.  
  
Only something hard hit her in the head and she went out. Sensei struggled to see in the dark and luckily was able to spot two figures standing over her. Looking at them he saw one with the jacket lettering G. P. and the others' baseball cap registered as K. He knew what was going on and he struggled himself with the decision on how to handle the situation at hand. 


	15. Betray and Unmask

'Wind and Thunder Rangers, we need your help.' Sensei silently told the six; knowing that he hadn't told them what the problem was and so he hoped.'no, Ninja Masters do not hope that their students will listen. They know they will.' He tried to persuade himself. 'They will arrive precisely on schedule. they are better than they were.' Those thoughts normally might create a small smile in private but being a silent watcher he knew better than to continue to daydream while he waited for rescue. On the 'flip side', as Dustin would say, he was small and could use it as an advantage if he had to 'attack' the enemy. Shaking his head reluctantly he knew he was almost useless as a guinea pig.  
  
Kaia Mackenzie had no idea what they were doing here and why they were kidnapping Naomi. She watched that idiot Gabe hit her with something hard.she watched her friend fall.she just watched. Still struggling deep within herself over why she was watching and not stopping this before anyone got seriously injured. She finally spoke to the figure next to her tying Naomi's hands together.  
  
"Are you sure this will get us what we want?"  
  
"You want to get back to Ireland in one piece?" She nodded her head, "then, yeah, this is the only way to remedy the situation."  
  
'This is our friend. And it's not like the other Rangers are going to accept it if they find out." "Judging by the fact that she was here, instead of with us." She shot a menacing look at him as she continued with her speech, "I'd prefer to limit my involvement with those rangers especially the Wind rangers whom listen more to Crimson and Navy than they did us." Crossly she looked disapprovingly at the whole situation. 'It's just not right there has to be another way. Gabe would have told us if the legend had said anything about our teammates becoming enemies.wouldn't it? There's only one way to find out.'  
  
He stopped what he was doing and stared at her. Shaking his head he just muttered underneath his breath. He bent over to finish securing their prisoner.his prisoner. A hand went on his shoulder and he swung around.  
  
"I didn't quite catch that, care to repeat?" Taking the hand off of his shoulder he dropped it. Not only did he drop her hand but he started advancing toward her until her back was to the wall. She struggled against him as he grabbed her hands, holding them above her head and looked into her eyes. All the while he repeated what he had murmured.  
  
"I said maybe you'd rather dance around Crimson but it's not like he'd be interested in you cuz to him you're just the enemy." She looked hurt and like she was blushing as he continued to attack her, "What did you do when you were with him anyway?" Feigning innocence he shot her a look.  
  
What he got in response was a hard kick in the side of the knee that sent him sprawling and he hit the ground. Kaia quickly moved away from him unsure of what to do. Fighting wasn't an option he was stronger much stronger.  
  
A wave of pain burst through Gabe's body. His head ached as he jumped up and down, cursing immensely. However he just as quickly stopped and held his head.  
  
"What the." He was cut off.  
  
"Don't you ever pull that with me again!" She stomped off farther and went to the fuse box and the lights came back on. Then she slipped into the seat where Naomi had just occupied herself. Her hands flew over the keyboard as she looked for.something.she knew what she was looking for and she also knew that she couldn't tell Gabe.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" He hissed obviously still ticked off over her assault.  
  
"Nothing that you need no of." She replied as she whipped through the system and filtered through the files hoping to gain the information that she needed. Just as she picked up the file name "Power of Threes' the computer went off. She swore with vengeance as she turned around and looked at her companion. He grinned wickedly as he held the cord in his left hand.  
  
"If we don't go right now we'll have to deal with six disgruntled clients." Reminding her of the teens on the way over here as they spoke. She sighed as she agreed that now was not the time to deal with them. She would have to come back later.  
  
"Gabe could you hand me my bag over there, please." She sweetly asked him hoping he would. The next thing she knew something nearly collided with her head. He gasped in mock surprise.  
  
"Oh my I am sorry. It must have gotten the wrong place because it was on a collision course with Cloud Nine."  
  
Opening the bag and grabbing her bugger she decided to track what went on within the system. Also hse took a look at the stuff she would need to know so that she could hack into it from their place. Satisfied she smiled as she slowly grabbed her bag and walked up to Gabe.  
  
"All done?" Inquired he sarcastically as he held Naomi over his shoulder like a potato sack.  
  
"All done." Was the just as sweet reply.  
  
In seconds white and black lights were bouncing everywhere throughout the city to their destination. _______________________________________________________ "How does he do it." Was the biggest question on Tori's mind but she doubted that she was the only one.  
  
"Dude, I am really tired of dealing with this.this.psycho. I say we act now comb the city and find Naomi." His friends looked at him suspiciously. Blake folded his arms.  
  
"You mean find Gabe and Kaia." Everyone accept Tori agreed.  
  
"No I mean we find Naomi and rescue her from them." He walked up to Blake and slightly pushed him. The others sat their silently not sure how to react.  
  
"Dustin do I have to remind you that you have to." The famous guinea pig started.  
  
"To work with your teammates and that fighting them is like fighting yourself. I know I know."  
  
"So what do you think Hunter." Shane tried to break the ice.  
  
"We have to accept the possibility that this was all just an act." Drawing out the Yellow Wind Ranger's anger whom clenched his fists. Tori watched not sure how to stop this.  
  
"You've got a point bro. I mean if I fooled Tori then."Blake's words were like venom to both Tori and Dustin.  
  
"Now wait a minute."She said as she was overlapped by the shove Dustin gave blake challenging him.  
  
"BUT THIS IS NAOMI-NOT TORI!" He was shoved back by Blake who replied just as much.  
  
"Bring it on."  
  
Now Tori had had enough she quickly jumped into the middle of the boys: knocking Blake off his feet and twisting Dustin's arm behind his back. A small amount of pain shot through him and he tried to twist out of the grip.  
  
Both boys groaned.  
  
"HEY!" They cried in unison an extra ow was supplied by Dustin whom she hadn't let go.  
  
"Now listen up you two. I don't like this situation any better than you do but arguing over whose use of another was more painful isn't going to help." She let go of Dustin who rubbed his wrist before continuing, "If neither of you to can quit I'll remedy it by knocking you out until sense reaches that squishy thing in your head called a brain." She walked away and turned to Cam.  
  
"Any luck backtracking on what she was looking for?" Her blue eyes softer less like ice now that she was calm again.  
  
"I think she was looking up a scroll or should I say scrolls but it's hard to tell. She could just be overlaying it to put us on the wrong track." As he looked back at the computer he sighed.  
  
"Where could they hide?" Questioned Shane.  
  
"Not sure but it'd have to hold a plane." Countered Hunter.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Kaia and Gabe both said they went on a private plane." Blake looked at his brother confirming.  
  
"Then lets search for non air fields.how about a park?" Dustin put in.  
  
Tori walked by Blake as she headed to sit next to Dustin who was a ways from their friends. He refused to look at her as she sat down and spoke.  
  
"I am sorry Dustin.I didn't mean to hurt you.it's just that the two of you were getting out of hand."  
  
"You think she's evil.but she's not. I know she's not because we've been friends too long. She promised we wouldn't lose her again. Why do I always pick the girls who are out hurt me-even when they originally like me.  
  
Tori's heart litterally broke in two at seeing the distress on his face. She hugged him.  
  
"You are soo lame Dustin. Naomi didn't know that she was in trouble and she'll be back we'll find a way to get her back. Please don't worry about it. I don't want to see her go either."  
  
"Thanks, Tor, you're a good friend." She wouldn't be fooled so easily she knew he was still hurting.  
  
"Hope. That's what Naomi is. Or so you two used to say." That made them both grin and they just sat there muddling. ______________________________________________________ "Let me ask you a question," Kaia said to Gabe as she opened the door to the plane, "where the hell are we going to put her?"  
  
Walking up he pointed with one hand to the belly of the plane that held a cell just for this kind of mission. Glad that he had looked at the plans to this place and familiarized himself with every nook and cranny of it. He continued and when he reached his destination he locked the door tight. Next he walked into the general place where they hung. Intently he watched as Kaia raced on the computer. Leaning on the side of the door he said to her:  
  
"What are you up to?"  
  
"Nothing much I just wanted to look up a scroll or two." Not even bothering to look at him. Gabe startled and alarmed yanked her out of the chair and asked Oracle to kill the computer. ___________________________________________________________ Meanwhile back in Ninja Ops Cam was smiling with delight. If his guess was correct Kaia had lead them on purpose to where they resided. The kid had left all sorts of clues including footage, inquiries and a bugger that was really a two way tracker.  
  
"Hey guys I think I got something." Swung around and looked at his team.  
  
"What's up Cam?" They asked unsure of how to take this.  
  
"We have a spy in our midsts and yet I think of something more. I was left all sorts of clues that lead me to their exact coordinates."  
  
By the end of his sentence his friends had formed around him looking at the screen and trying to make sense of what he said.  
  
"I think Kaia meant to lead us to help Naomi. I have been watching the tape recording and I know it wasn't Naomi herself but Kaia who put the two way tracker underneath the keyboard." He searched his friends for somesign that they were catching on, " I think she's just unsure of what to do."  
  
"Then let's go!" Dustin said getting up.  
  
"Dustin we're going to need firepower." Cam winked.  
  
The six morphed in a flash, then they raced in rainbow lights through the dark praying that it wasn't to late and that everything was all right. __________________________________________________________________ Kaia and Gabe were fighting and Kaia tried to punch him but she missed.  
  
"Come on Kaia you're not even trying."" He jibed tired of this game. She tried to kick him but he knocked her off her feet. Then he sauntered over and gripped her neck. She tried to kick him but he just picked her up like a doll and held her against the wall, amused. She spied the key in his front shirt pocket as she sputtered for breath.  
  
Unknowingly the other Rangers had arrived at the scene. Cam opened his visor and said:  
  
"This can't be right it must be under a cloaking spell."  
  
He quickly contacted his father who told him what to say. As he repeated it the spell instantly materialized the plane.  
  
With everyone else not so far behind he opened the door and walked in expecting a fight but what they saw was much different-  
  
Barely struggling for breath and consciousness someone else was attacking Kaia. It wasn't Gabe.  
  
"Lothor!" In unison they said and looked at each other.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Tori challenged.  
  
"This is getting weird." Shane commented as he and the others prepared to fight. 


	16. Search and Rescue

Lothor looked at the struggling form before him. In his anger he had forgotten that he was dealing with his daughter. He was so in tune with how and what he wanted that he hadn't heard footsteps outside the jet. But he did hear the crashing sound as enemies made a doorway for themselves. Cursing slightly he turned his head no more than 60 degrees when Kaia spoke.  
  
"I don't know what you did with Gabriel but he better be alive."  
  
She struggled to breathe never mind speak as her eyes became clouded. Feeling her life drained from her she prayed to ______ that her friends would move on and not waste time. They had a job and they needed to do it one way or another.  
  
"Lothor." His mind snapped back and he turned to see the Rangers standing ready to defend. He tried to control his surprise and anger but failed as he attempted to control how this played out.  
  
"Surprised to see us?" The yellow ranger one-Dustin-called out teasingly. Snarling he made a curt reply.  
  
"Never surprised to see you all." Liar he thought to himself.  
  
The six figures were surprised when they barged in to find Lothor but they had been even more surprised to see Kaia fighting with him.  
  
"We got to help her." Tori stated expecting the reaction that was going to come.  
  
"Are you kidding me?" Hunter roared. Right on time Tori thought.  
  
"Look let's just get this done with than maybe she'll trust us." Navy waved the idea but Huter still wanted to reject it.  
  
They didn't get much of a chance to make a plan. Lothor held Kaia's limp body in one hand and shot at the rangers with the other, all the while laughing.  
  
"Navy Blue and Yellow raced at Lothor. Hunter and Shane had Cam's back while he made his way to the door leading to the stairs which eventually would lead down to where Naomi was being held.  
  
In a feudal attempt to stop the three rangers at the same time he dropped Kaia. Hunter grabbed her and held her in his arms.  
  
"I got her!" stating sharply.  
  
In a few minutes Cam came up with Naomi right behind him. She watched the battle a moment before in a puff of smoke Lothor vanished.  
  
"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Naomi asked.  
  
"Probably up in that ship of his trying to plan his next move." Shane supplied.  
  
"Speaking of next moves, we'd better get moving." Cam suggested, "before he comes back." Moving to the exit he walked behind the others before asking Naomi:  
  
"Do you need any of this stuff."  
  
She looked around but found everything trashed and useless. Hmm.  
  
"No I don't think so." Admitting to them and following Cam's retreating back. Outside of the jet the rangers demorphed. It wasn't before they were outside when she realized that Hunter was caring her friend. Rushing up to him she gave him an exasperated look.  
  
"What'd you do to her?" Hands on her hips.  
  
Looking straight into her eyes he said the one thing he knew she wouldn't believe.  
  
"Nothing. It was Lothor. Didn't Cam explain this?" Turning the tides onto his friend whom just stared at him with annoyance. Dustin wrapped his arm around his best friend giving her a smile.  
  
"Don't worry, Namz, she's going to be all right. Once we get back to Ninja Ops. Cam's going to fix her. Right Cam?"  
  
Cam turned around and shot a sharp glance at the others whom were trying and failing to keep themselves from giggling. He wanted to smack Dustin in the head. Rolling his eyes he refused to comment but then he made a mistake. He had looked at the torn figure under Dustin's protective wing and his heart melted. He felt sorry for her. So he did what any guy would do; he walked up to her, looked her in the eyes and said something to cheer her up.  
  
"Of course I am going to do anything I can to save your friend." Waited three breaths. One... Two...Three. "I really suggest that we go NOW."  
  
Shane totally agreed with that and so did Blake, they both started forward.  
  
"Yeah, before-" Blake never got a chance to finish his sentence. His mouth was covered by Tori' s hand and she whispered to him.  
  
"Don't finish that sentence! Remember what happened the last time you said that."  
  
In seconds they were standing in the middle of Ninja Ops; Cam helping his unconscious patient and everyone else trying to make a plan. Every few minutes Cam would say "No that's not a good idea" and they'd be back to square one.  
  
"What are we going to do if she wakes up?" Hunter asked.  
  
"It's more like when. By my calculation she should be waking up sometime in the near future. Approximately two-three hours. 


End file.
